The primary mission of the mycobacteriology section is the isolation and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to assist in the control of tuberculosis. Other species of mycobacteria are also identified since they too cause disease, however, they are not considered a threat to the community since they are not transmitted from person to person.

Direct detection of tuberculosis in acid-fast smear positive respiratory specimens is completed within a day of receipt. Smear negative and non-respiratory specimens are analyzed with rapid culture methods and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and nucleic acid probe methods. These newer rapid methods shorten the time required to culture and identify tuberculosis by two weeks.

The laboratory provides sterile collection kits for submitting specimens and will also accept specimens submitted in other sterile containers. Specimens from any anatomical site are accepted.