Mikrobiyoloji Bulteni, cilt.34, sa.3-4, ss.267-277, 2000 (Scopus)
In this study, three methods testing the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to antimycobacterial agents were compared. For this purpose, antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 100 M. tuberculosis isolates to four antimycobacterial agents were performed by using three methods. These methods were the proportion method, BACTEC radiometric system and Alamar blue colorimetric method. Statistical analyses showed that there were no significant differences between the three methods in determining the Susceptibility of M. tuberculosis to rifampicin, ethambutol and streptomycin. Proportion method and BACTEC method showed excellent correlation in detection of isoniazid resistance while Alamar blue method was found to be less sensitive since it was unable to detect four resistant strains. The average time to obtain the results of susceptibility testing by Alamar blue method was 10 days, The reliability and accuracy of this method may be increased by using several different drug concentrations, Alamar blue colorimetric method may be used especially in developing and underdeveloped countries since it is a rapid and cheap method.