Mycobacterium avium complex bacteria remain viable in sputum during storage and refrigeration

Lian J Pennings; Sanne Zweijpfenning; Mike M Ruth; Melanie Wattenberg; Martin J Boeree; Wouter Hoefsloot; Jakko van Ingen

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.06.017

Mycobacterium avium complex bacteria remain viable in sputum during storage and refrigeration

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018 Dec;92(4):309-310. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.06.017. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

Authors

Lian J Pennings¹, Sanne Zweijpfenning², Mike M Ruth³, Melanie Wattenberg³, Martin J Boeree², Wouter Hoefsloot², Jakko van Ingen³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: Lian.Pennings@radboudumc.nl.
² Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
³ Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

PMID: 30025970
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.06.017

Abstract

Diagnostic mycobacteriology often involves shipping of samples to centralized laboratories. Using two quantitative culture techniques, we show that 7 days storage of sputum samples at room temperature or 4 °C does not affect the number of viable Mycobacterium avium complex bacteria. Storage at room temperature increases the chance of contamination.

Keywords: Clinical trials; Culture; Microbiology; Mycobacteria; Mycobacterium avium complex.

MeSH terms

Bacterial Load
Cryopreservation* / methods
Humans
Microbial Viability*
Mycobacterium avium Complex* / classification
Mycobacterium avium Complex* / genetics
Mycobacterium avium Complex* / isolation & purification
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / diagnosis
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / microbiology*
Refrigeration
Specimen Handling* / methods
Sputum / microbiology*