High-performance liquid chromatography patterns of mycolic acids as criteria for identification of Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium fortuitum, and Mycobacterium smegmatis

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Abstract
Rapidly growing mycobacteria of clinical significance were identified by mycolic acids detected with high-performance liquid chromatography. Mycolic acids from whole cells were extracted, derivatized, and detected by a modified high-performance liquid chromatography procedure in less than 3 h. Use of an internal standard allowed differentiation of Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium fortuitum by comparison of relative retention times. Peak height ratios were used for subidentification of M. chelonae strains; however, M. fortuitum and Mycobacterium smegmatis could not be separated by this system.