MYCOBACTERIUM-FORTUITUM GLYCOLIPIDS FOR THE SERODIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Glycolipids belonging to the family of acylated trehaloses were isolat ed from Mycobacterium fortuitum, a rapidly growing mycobacterial speci es,and tested in the serologic diagnosis of human pulmonary tuberculos is by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Di- and tri-O-acylated trehal oses from M. fortuitum reacted with serum antibodies-of patients wish pulmonary tuberculosis at higher titers than did with sera from health y donors. With both glycolipids, the sensitivity of the test was above 0.80 at a chosen specificity of 0.98. Individuals with treated tuberc ulosis showed lower antibody titers compared with their initial reacti vities. These data show that M. fortuitum could be used as a surrogate source of antigens for tuberculosis serodiagnosis.