Safe Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA extraction method that does not compromise integrity.

Concern has been raised about the efficacy of the heat killing of mycobacteria during the isolation of DNA. We demonstrate a method that allows for the efficient killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis without compromising DNA integrity for subsequent molecular investigation. This method reduces the risk of infection to the research scientist.

Reduction of the rate of false-positive cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a laboratory with a high culture positivity rate.

Our laboratory, engaged in a prospective study of adult pulmonary tuberculosis, processed on average 1186 sputum samples per year for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Approximately 55% of all sputum samples were culture-positive.

Multiple Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in early cultures from patients in a high-incidence community setting.

In an ongoing molecular epidemiology study, human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with first-time pulmonary tuberculosis from a high-incidence community were enrolled. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis with two fingerprinting probes. Of 131 patients, 3 (2.