Open AccessEvaluation of Processing Methods To Equitably Aliquot Sputa for Mycobacterial Testing
Author(s) -
David Jamil Hadad,
Carlos Gustavo Morais,
Solange Alves Vinhas,
Kevin P. Fennelly,
Reynaldo Dietze,
Cristina Paula do Nascimento,
Moisés Palaci
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.05835-11
Subject(s) - sputum , bacilli , homogenization (climate) , microbiology and biotechnology , mycobacterium tuberculosis , medicine , biology , pathology , tuberculosis , bacteria , biodiversity , ecology , genetics
We compared bacillary loads after splitting sputum specimens by chemical (N -acetyl-l -cysteine [NALC]) and mechanical homogenization by vortexing with sterile glass beads. NALC and vortexing with glass beads were equally effective at homogenizing sputum specimens, resulting in an equal distribution of tubercle bacilli in the aliquots.