Rapid chemotaxonomic diagnosis of human tuberculosis.

Abstract

65 different clinical specimens from patients suspected of being infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis were examined by three different diagnostic methods. Two of these methods were the conventional microscopic and cultural examinations. The third, a modern chemotaxonomical method is based upon the detection of tuberculostearic acid by GC-MS analysis using selected ion monitoring (GC-MS/SIM). Comparison of the results of the GC-MS analysis with those of the conventional methods has indicated that tuberculostearic acid analysis can be used for diagnosing tuberculosis under diagnostic routine conditions. The GC-MS method is rapid, usually providing results within 20 hours or less.

• Authors: A F Yassin, H Brzezinka, E Molitor, K P Schaal
• Journal: Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie : international journal of medical microbiology (Zentralbl Bakteriol) Vol. 284 Issue 2-3 Pg. 466-73 (Jul 1996) ISSN: 0934-8840 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 8837405 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Stearic Acids
• tuberculostearic acid
• Methanol

Topics

• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
• Humans
• Methanol (pharmacology)
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis (isolation & purification, metabolism)
• Stearic Acids (analysis)
• Time Factors
• Tuberculosis (diagnosis, microbiology, pathology)