Diagnosis : direct diagnosis : culturing (sputum, BAL, CSF, gastric juices, stools) : albumin and oleic acid, Petragnani, Löwenstein-Jensen medium or Middlebrook's media or BACTEC system (a medium containing radio-labeled palmitate as the sole C source. As it multiplies, it breaks down the palmitate and liberates radio-labeled CO2. Using the BACTEC system, growth can be detected in 9-16 days vs 4-8 weeks using conventional media). It is important to create an antibiogram.
