Serovars of Mycobacterium avium complex isolated from AIDS and non-AIDS patients in Spain

Antigen fingerprinting based on surface glycolipid antigens was applied to the epidemiology of clinical isolates of the Mycobacterium avium complex fr om 128 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 31 non-AIDS patients f rom several different regions of Spain. The application of thin-layer chrom atography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and monoclonal antibodies, combined with ELISA, allowed a facile identification, differentiation and c lassification of the isolates. The cumulative results demonstrate that, amo ng the clinical isolates, serovar 4 was predominant in both AIDS (33.6%) an d non-AIDS (22.6%) isolates. In general, the results demonstrate geographic al as well as disease-related differences in the distribution of Myco. aviu m complex serovars of clinical importance.