Direct sensitivity test of the MB/BacT system

RESUMO

In order to evaluate the direct-method test of sensitivity to drugs used in the principal tuberculosis treatment regimes, in the Organon Teknika MB/BacT system, we tested 50 sputum samples positive to microscopy taken from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and with clinical indications for an antibiogram, admitted sequentially for examination during the routine of the reference laboratory. The material was treated v/v with 23 percent trisodium phosphate solution, incubated for 24 h at 35ºC, and neutralized v/v with 20 percent monosodium phosphate solution. The material was then centrifuged and the sediment inoculated into flasks containing Rifampin - 2 æg/ml, Isoniazid - 0.2 æg/ml, Pyrazinamide - 100 æg/ml, Ethambutol - 2.5 æg/ml, Ethionamide - 1.25 æg/ml, and Streptomycin - 2 æg/ml. The tests were evaluated using the indirect method in the BACTEC 460 TB (Becton Dickinson) system as the gold standard. The results showed that the Rifampin test performed best, i.e., 100 percent sensitivity at 95 percent Confidence Interval (82.2-100) and 100 percent specificity at 95 percent Confidence Interval (84.5-100), followed by Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide. In this experiment, 92 percent of the materials showed a final reading in 30 days; this period represents the time for primary isolation as well as the results of the sensitivity profile, and is within Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations regarding time for performance of the antibiogram. The inoculated flasks showed no contamination during the experiment. The MB/BacT is shown to be a reliable, rapid, fully automated nonradiometric system for the tuberculosis antibiogram