The isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by filtration technique from cerebrospinal fluid.

Abstract

Collection on a filter membrane as a routine culture method has proved of great advantage in the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the cerebrospinal fluid. Its use, during combined intrathecal treatment with streptomycin and Purified Protein Derivative of tuberculin, shows that the organisms persist for an unexpectedly long time in the cerebrospinal fluid. In some instances, focal reaction to P.P.D. seems to liberate tubercle bacilli from the lesions into the fluid. Direct culture of C.S.F. on Loewenstein medium gave less than two positive specimens per patient and no positive cultures later than the second week of treatment. Filtration gave more profuse growth and persistence of positive cultures during treatment for as long as 28 weeks in some cases.