Identification of Mycobacterium and Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The identification results of 3530 Mycobacterium strains isolated from a clinical material from tuberculosis patients are presented. 3219 (91.17%) of the strains are classified AS M. tuberculosis and 331 (8.83%) as nontuberculous, containing, generally, M. fortuitum group. (96 or 2.71% of the cases). Most of the nontuberculous mycobacteria had no clinical value. Mycobacteriosis caused by these mycobacteria was diagnosed in 6 patients. Biochemical identification tests allowed one to specify the species of 19 Mycobacteria. Out of 738 environmental inoculations, mycobacteria were isolated in 43 (5.82%) cases, including 42 (97.68%) nontuberculous strains.