CONTROL ORGANISM RESULTS

Biochemical
Positive Negative Positive Negative Medium Used Duration Incubation Conditions
Test

M.
Niacin M.tuberculosis Yellow No color change 0.5 mL DH2O 15-30 min Room Temp.
intracellulare

M.
Nitrate M.tuberculosis Pink or red No color change 0.3 mL DH2O 2 hours 37° C bath
intracellulare

Urease M. fortuitum M. avium Pink or red color No color change Urea broth for AFB 1,3 and 5 days 37° C incubator without CO2

68 Degrees M. fortuitum or 0.5 mL phosphate buffer

M. tuberculosis Bubbles No bubbles 20 minutes 68° C bath
Celcius Catalase N. M. gordonae (pH 7)

M kansasii or >45 mm <45mm

SQ Catalase M. avium height/column of height/column of Commercial medium 14 days 37° C incubator (with CO2)
M. gordonae bubbles bubbles

M. 37° C incubator (in the dark,

Tween 80 M. kansasii Pink color No color change 1 mL DH2O 5 or 10 days
intracellulare without CO2)

7, and then 3
Tellurite M. avium M. tuberculosis Black metallic color Colorless Middlebrook,7H9 broth 37° C incubator (with CO2)
additional days

M. 37° C incubator arylsulfatase

Arylsulfatase M. fortuitum Pink color No color change Wayne’s medium 3-days
intracellulare (without CO2)

Commercial slant with 37° C incubator

5% NaCl M. fortuitum M. gordonae Substantial growth Little or no growth 28 days
and without 5% NaCl (with CO2)

37° C incubator
TCH M. bovis M.tuberculosis No growth There is growth TCH slant 3 weeks
(with CO2)

References: Bailey, W. R., & Tille, P. M. (2017). Bailey & Scott's diagnostic microbiology (14th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.