Evaluation of reformulated chemiluminescent DNA probe (AccuProbe) for culture identification of Mycobacterium kansasii

A panel of 104 isolates belonging to the species Mycobacterium kansasii and 78 mycobacterial isolates belonging to other species was tested in parallel with the present commercially available DNA probe (Accu-Probe; Gen- Probe) and with a new probe just developed by the same manufacturer. While the old version of the probe confirmed the previously reported low sensitivity (only 59% of the M. kansaii isolates reacted), the new one was 100% sensitive. Only two non-M. kansasii strains, both M. gastri isolates, gave false-positive hybridization results.