ISOLATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS FROM CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID BY THE CENTRIFUGATION AND FILTRATION METHODS

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected in 2 bottles each, fr om 112 children, examined clinically for tuberculous meningitis (TBM). One was processed by the centrifugation method and the other by the f iltration method for the isolation of M. tuberculosis. Of these specim ens, 11 and 13 yielded M. tuberculosis by the centrifugation method an d the filtration method, respectively. In 7 specimens M. tuberculosis was isolated by both the methods; in 4, only by the centrifugation met hod, and in 6, only by the filtration method. Using both the methods, 17 (15.2%) of 112 specimens were culture positive for M. tuberculosis. The improvement in the rate of isolation, thus obtained, assumes impo rtance as the confirmation of the diagnosis of TBM in all the clinical ly suspected cases is always desired. Moreover, the filtration method is simple and inexpensive and it can be carried out even in remote hos pitals and the membranes, after filtration, can be transported to cent ral mycobacteriology laboratory for culture of tubercle bacilli.