The molecular bacterial load assay replaces solid culture for measuring early bactericidal response to antituberculosis treatment

J Clin Microbiol. 2014 Aug;52(8):3064-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01128-14. Epub 2014 May 28.

Abstract

We evaluated the use of the molecular bacterial load (MBL) assay, for measuring viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum, in comparison with solid agar and liquid culture. The MBL assay provides early information on the rate of decline in bacterial load and has technical advantages over culture in either form.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agar
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Load / methods*
  • Culture Media / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Microbial Viability / drug effects*
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Sputum / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Culture Media
  • Agar