Tuberculosis bacteria grow very slowly, so people thought to have TB may start treatment before bacterial cultures show that Mycobacteria tuberculosis are present.

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Tuberculosis bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) grow very slowly, often taking several weeks to develop in culture. Therefore, treatment is frequently initiated based on clinical suspicion, radiographic findings, and/or a positive tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma release assay, before culture results are available.

Tuberculosis Bacteria Grow Very Slowly, So People Thought to Have