Improved isolation of mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis on isoniazid-containing Löwenstein-Jensen medium.

The benefit of including isoniazid-containing Löwenstein-Jensen medium for primary isolation of mycobacteria was evaluated in 3,726 clinical specimens. This media increased the primary isolation of mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis by 9.2%, facilitated macroscopical reading and aided presumptive identification of the isolated mycobacteria.