Aim: To compare results of mycobacteria identification by bacteriologic methods as well as by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Materials and methods: Two hundred and eighty strains of mycobacteria isolated from respiratory specimens and identified by bacteriologic methods and HPLC were studied.
Results: It was established that results of HLPC use were highly correlated with results of microbiologic methods of mycobacteria identification: for identification of M. tuberculosis complex the correlation was 97.0%, for nontuberculous (NTM) slowly growing mycobacteria--95.3%, for quickly growing NTM--96.2% (overall--96.1%). Results of identification of mycobacteria by HPLC were ready in significantly shorter time-frame (during 24 hours).
Conclusion: HLPC method could be recommended for identification of mycobacteria in bacteriologic reference laboratories.