Submerged Growth of Tubercle Bacilli from Pathologic Material in Dubos' Medium

Abstract

The media recently described by Dubos (Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. and Med. 58: 361. 1945) for the rapid cultivation of Mycobacteria were successfully employed to isolate tubercle bacilli from various pathological material. 5-20 ml. volumes of the specimen were digested with an equal volume of 3% HCl for 15 min., then neutralized to approx. pH 7 with 3% NaOH. The digest was centrifuged and the sediment concentrated to 1/10th to 1/2oth the original volume in sterile saline. The media were inoculated with 0.1-0.5 ml. of this specimen. Good correlation was obtained by this procedure with the usual method of guinea pig inoculation.