MOLECULAR STRAIN TYPING OF MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS TO CONFIRM CROSS-CONTAMINATION IN THE MYCOBACTERIOLOGY LABORATORY AND MODIFICATION OF PROCEDURES TO MINIMIZE OCCURRENCE OF FALSE-POSITIVE CULTURES

Molecular strain typing by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to demonstrate that two clusters of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures involving six patients resulted from cross-contamination in the mycobacteriology laboratory. Contaminated cultures were processed by the decontamination procedure and were read on the BACTEC instrument following acid-fast bacillus smear-positive specimens from patients with active tuberculosis. Investigation of these episodes suggested opportunities for modification of laboratory procedures to minimize cross-contamination and confirmed the adverse medical and public health consequences of false-positive cultures. Strain-typing results were used in decisions regarding patient care, including the curtailment of unnecessary treatment in one patient. Molecular strain typing appears to be a valuable means of identifying false-positive cultures of M. tuberculosis in selected settings.