Pseudoepidemic of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in a Community Hospital

Abstract
Soon after our hospital instituted the BACTEC mycobacterial isolation system, the proportion of cultures positive for nontuberculous mycobacteria increased dramatically. After eliminating other possible sources of contamination, the BACTEC probe's sterilization time and temperature were increased, and the incidence of positive mycobacterial cultures returned to its former rate.