Rapid identification of mycobacterium tuberculosis from meningitis cases

ABSTRACT

Fifty acid-fast bacilli isolated from clinically diagnosed meningitis patients at Zagazig Fever Hospital were identified by both the st and ard method and the 5 hours assay method [API- ZYM strip plus 5 additional tests]. All the 50 strains were identified as Myco. tuberculosis by the two methods. Seventeen different profiles were found through the API- ZYM scheme, which would provide epidemiological markers. Comparing the two methods, the API - ZYM based scheme method was found to be easy to set-up, rapid, cheap and applicable. However, inconsistent biochemical reactions were noted when the strains were allowed to grow in excess for 25 days on L. J. slants, due to a decrease in the detectable enzyme production. Forty-three of the Myco. tuberculosis strains were identified correctly, 5 [10%] were questionable [suggesting Myco. bovis] and 2 [4%] strains did not code out as a species. When the 50 strains were included for 20-25 days, all parameters were positive for Myco. tuberculosis. Moreover, the antimicrobial resistance patterns of these 50 strains were performed to be correlated with the 19 enzymatic activities of the API - ZYM system, but no correlation was proved