AN INTEGRATED PROCEDURE FOR THE DIRECT-DETECTION OF CHARACTERISTIC LIPIDS IN TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS

An integrated -method is described for the sensitive detection of tube rculostearic, mycocerosic and mycolic acids in infected materials from tuberculosis patients. Tuberculostearic acid is analysed by two-dimen sional gas chromatography of pentaflurorobenzyl esters, the key compon ent being switched from a short non-polar column to a high resolution polar column with final electron capture detection. Mycocerosic acids are identified by simple one-dimensional electron capture gas chromato graphy of pentafluorobenzyl esters, with the use of negative-ion chemi cal ionisation gas chromatography in indecisive cases. Conversion of m ycolic acids to anthrylmethyl esters produces compounds which are suit able for sensitive detection by fluorescence high-performance liquid c hromatography. Application of all three of these methods to sputum sam ples from tuberculosis patients gave profiles characteristic of Mycoba cterium tuberculosis.