Isolation frequency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tertiary reference hospital and their susceptibility patterns against four major anti-tuberculosis drugs

Objectives: As soon as possible to detection of tuberculosis bacilli and to determination of their anti-tuberculosis drug susceptibilities are very important for an optimal anti-tuberculosis therapy. Therefore, two different culture methods in suspected patient samples were performed. The results of anti-tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing of culture positive samples were examined. Materials and methods: Following the homogenization and decontamination processes, patient’s samples were stained with Ziehl-Neelsen dye and each preparation were inoculated separately onto Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) and into Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) media. After incubation period, drug susceptibilities of bacillus in culture positive samples against four major anti-tuberculosis drugs were investigated. Results: The samples obtained from 163 different patients between 2007 and 2010 years were evaluated. In all samples, it was determined that positivity of Acid Resistant Bacillus (ARB), MGIT and LJ media were 7 (4.0%), 6 (3.5%) and 7 (4.0%), respectively. MGIT method was demonstrated significantly earlier growth than LJ method the tuberculosis bacillus. All isolates were found to be sensitive to four major anti-tuberculosis drugs. Conclusion: In our study, MGIT method was found to be superior to LJ media because of its quick result and drug resistance was not determined in all isolates.