Abstract
We describe a simple technique for recovery of Mycobacterium avium-M. intracellulare from blood culture specimens by using the BACTEC 460, a system used for routine blood cultures in many hospital laboratories. A total of 26 of 215 blood specimens (12%) from 11 of 48 patients (23%) with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex yielded isolates of M. avium-M. intracellulare. Acid-fast staining of prepared specimens was positive for 16 of 26 cultures that ultimately yielded the organism.