An integrated procedure for the direct detection of characteristic lipids in tuberculosis patients

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.