Mycobacteria Testing

RRDA offers Mycobacteria testing on appropriate specimens to detect acid fast bacilli.

• Histological examination of a biopsy will often suggest the diagnosis.
• Acid fast staining (eg Ziehl-Neelsen) and auramine staining for microscopy.
• PCR amplification in appropriate specimens
• Culture in/on appropriate media (eg Lowenstein-Jensen or Middlebrook).

Rapid growers (eg M. fortuitum) may grow in 1-2 weeks, but 6-8 weeks of incubation are required before discarding negative cultures. Identification of mycobacteria and antibiotic susceptibility testing take another 4 weeks using conventional techniques. Radiometric culture combined with gene probe (for identification) considerably reduces the time required for testing.