Comparison of the mycobacteria growth indicator tube with MB redox, Löwenstein-Jensen, and Middlebrook 7H11 media for recovery of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.

The rate of recovery and the mean time to detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens were evaluated with two nonradiometric broth-based systems, the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) and MB Redox systems. The data obtained for each system were compared with each other and with those obtained with the Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) and Middlebrook 7H11 reference media. A total of 117 mycobacterial isolates (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, n = 112; nontuberculous mycobacteria, n = 5) were detected in 486 clinical specimens. The recovery rates for M. tuberculosis were 91 of 112 (81.3%) isolates with MGIT and 81 of 112 (72.3%) isolates with MB Redox. The combination of MGIT plus MB Redox recovered 104 of the 112 (92.9%) M. tuberculosis isolates. MGIT plus LJ plus Middlebrook 7H11 recovered 106 of the 112 (94.6%) isolates, MB Redox plus LJ plus Middlebrook 7H11 recovered 99 of the 112 (88.4%) isolates, and LJ plus Middlebrook 7H11 recovered 84 of the 112 (75. 0%) isolates. The mean time to detection of M. tuberculosis in smear-positive specimens was 7.2 days with MGIT, 6.9 days with MB Redox, 20.4 days with LJ, and 17.6 days with Middlebrook 7H11. The mean time to detection of M. tuberculosis in smear-negative specimens was 19.1 days with MGIT, 15.5 days with MB Redox, 25.8 days with LJ, and 21.6 days with Middlebrook 7H11. The contamination rates were 4.4, 3.8, 2.1, and 2.7% for MGIT, MB Redox, LJ, and Middlebrook 7H11, respectively. In conclusion, MGIT and MB Redox can be viable tools in the routine mycobacteriology laboratory.