Rapid Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis by Frequency-Pulsed Electron-CaptureGas-Liquid Chromatography Detection of Carboxylic Acids in Cerebrospinal Fluid

摘要

The frequency-pulsed electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography techniquedescribed previously by Brooks et al., was modified and applied to the studies of coded and routine clinical specimens. Uncentrifuged cerebrospinal fluid (2 ml) was extracted under acidic conditions, derivatized, and analyzed by frequency-pulsed electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography on large-bore fused silica polar and nonpolar capillary columns. The frequency-pulsed electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography profile of carboxylic acids (C2 through C22) along with identification of tuberculostearic acid, established by retention time comparison of derivatized tuberculostearic acid derivatized sample extract, strongly suggests the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients with lymphocytic meningitis.