Demonstration of tuberculostearic acid in sputum from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis by selected ion monitoring.

摘要: Selected ion monitoring was used to detect tuberculostearic acid (10-methyloctadecanoic acid) in sputum from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The specimens were autoclaved, lyophilized, extracted, and methanolysed before being subjected thin-layer chromatography injected into the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer. Tuberculostearic could be detected five of six tuberculous containing acid-fast rods detectable by light microscopy Ziehl-Neelsen stained smears. After had been cultured for days on Lowenstein-Jensen medium, when still no colonies observed visually, presence demonstrated all cases In corresponding analyses eight non-tuberculous pneumonia, not found. This fatty acid, which also cultures various mycobacterial nocardial species, is characteristic organisms order Actinomycetales. demonstration may constitute a rapid sensitive way diagnosing