title: An integrated procedure for the direct detection of characteristic lipids in tuberculosis patients.
abstract: An integrated method is described for the sensitive detection of tuberculostearic, mycocerosic and mycolic acids in infected materials from tuberculosis patients. Tuberculostearic acid is analysed by two-dimensional gas chromatography of pentafluorobenzyl esters, the key component 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 chromatography of pentafluorobenzyl esters, with the use of negative-ion chemical ionisation gas chromatography in indecisive cases. Conversion of mycolic acids to anthrylmethyl esters produces compounds which are suitable for sensitive detection by fluorescence high-performance liquid chromatography. Application of all three of these methods to sputum samples from tuberculosis patients gave profiles characteristic of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Minnikin
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Besra
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Mallet
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ridell
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D009171:Mycolic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D008055:Lipids; D009171:Mycolic Acids; D013229:Stearic Acids; C026082:tuberculostearic acid; C008901:phthiocerol dimycocerosate