Abstract: Objective To approach the adaptability of the culture system of a rapid fluorescent growth indicator tube,using various strains of acid-fast mycobacterium.Methods The standard strains of all species were puantitatively inoculated in the rapid fluorescent growth indicator tube(RFGIT),which has been developed by our lab,and pair matching compared with Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube system(MGIT,Becton Dickinson,MD)and Lowenstein-Jensen(L-J)solid media.The gradient dilutions of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇ Rv were inoculated both RFGIT and MGIT or L-J media in pairs,the Results were recorded and compared.Results The average detection time of 19 species standard culture is 4.68±2.48 days for RFGIT and 5.39±2.89 days for MGIT.The detected times of eight strains in RFGIT are significantly early than MGIT.The different dilutions of H₃₇ Rv assay in RFGIT shows a earlier detecting 1～5 days than MGIT,average 3.2 days, and 11～31 days early than L-J media,average 19.1 days. Conclusion The detecting time of RFGIT are earlier than L-J media in all standard strains and different dilutions of H₃₇ Rv.RFGIT appears more early than MGIT in some standard strains. Our Results showed RFGIT is a useful,safe,economical and rapid culture system.

Key words: Acid-fast mycobacterium, Standard strain, Rapid culture, Fluorescent Growth Indicator Tube