3.5 Summary of bacteriological examinations


Table 3.1 - Summary of bacteriological examinations3,6,10,21,22

Sensitivity AFB/ml

Median turn-around time

Additional turn-around time with DST

Smear microscopy
(Light, fluorescent)

> 5 000

2 hours


Culture solid medium
LJ standard medium,
Middlebrook 7H10 and 7H11

+/- 100

16 days (smear+)
29 days (smear–)

6 weeks

Culture liquid medium
(BACTEC®, MGIT®)

+/- 10

8 days (smear+)
16 days (smear−)

2 weeks (smear+)
2 weeks (smear−)

Culture microcolonies
(TLA, MODS)

+/- 10

14 days

0 (H and R)

LPA
(Hain®, INNO-LiPA®)

Only on positive smear

1 day (direct testing)

0 (H and R)
21 days (indirect testing)

Automated real-time PCR
(Xpert MTB/RIF)

+/-10

2 hours

0 (R only)