Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in abscess materials obtained from cases not considered clinically as tuberculosis and to compare the results with those of the cases preliminarily diagnosed as tuberculosis.

Materials and Methods: Three smear samples were prepared for each of the abscess samples sent to Microbiology Laboratory of Mustafa Kemal University Hospital from October 2007 to March 2010 and stained with Erlich Ziehl Neelsen (EZN) stain. After decontamination and homogenization of the samples, they were cultured by using an automated system (BacT/ALERT MP, BioMerieux) and also onto Lowenstein Jensen media. Strains grown on Lowenstein-Jensen agars were tested with niacin, nitrate and catalase tests. The bacteria those were niacin, nitrate and catalase positive were identified as M. tuberculosis. Susceptibilities to rifampin, isoniazid, streptomycin and ethambutol were investigated by Etest.

Results: Twenty eight (34.6%) of the 81 abscesses included in the study were sent to the laboratory with initial diagnosis of tuberculosis and acid-resistant bacteria were found in only one (3.6%) sample and M. tuberculosis was grown in its culture. This strain was found to be susceptible to rifampin, streptomycin and ethambutol while it was resistant to isoniazid. Tuberculosis was not considered in 53 (65.4%) abscess materials and thus laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis wasn't requested. Acid-resistant bacteria were found in two (3.8%) samples and M. tuberculosis was grown in their cultures. Both of the strains were found susceptible to rifampin, streptomycin, ethambutol and isoniazid.

Conclusion: As tuberculosis is still a common infection in our country, extrapulmonary tuberculosis should be considered in diagnosis and laboratory examination of samples in terms of mycobacteria should be requested.