Evaluation of a new biphasic culture system for the recovery of mycobacteria.

A newly developed biphasic culture system (MB-Check) for recovery of mycobacteria was evaluated. The biphasic system consists of a bottle containing selective modified Middlebrook 7H9 broth and a mounted dip slide with chocolate agar and modified Middlebrook 7H11 agar with and without NAP. The system was compared with culture on two egg-based media, Lowenstein medium and a selective Gottsacker medium, using 995 routine specimens and 90 artificially seeded sputa. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in 17 of the 995 routine specimens by the biphasic system and in 14 specimens by the egg-based media together. In the artificially seeded sputa the biphasic system showed higher sensitivity in detection of both tuberculosis complex and non-tuberculous mycobacteria than the egg-based media. The recovery times of the new system were comparable to those of the two conventional culture methods.