The Effect of Long-Term Storage on .

It was established that when stored for many years (10-13 years) in low-temperature conditions (3°C), without sub-culture on a nutrient medium, grew as visible colonies along the line of inoculation. However, due to long-term storage in conditions of low temperature (3°C) morphology of mycobacteria differed significantly from initial cultures formed by rod-shaped bacteria. Some of them became pigment-forming and smooth on the surface.