A LIPOSOMAL COMPOSITION COMPRISING A STEROL-MODIFIED LIPID AND A PURIFIED MYCOBACTERIAL LIPID CELL WALL COMPONENT AND ITS USE IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOSIS

摘要

A liposomal composition comprising a sterol-modified lipid and a purified mycobacterial lipid cell wall component or analog or derivative thereof is described. The composition is useful as a lipid antigen-presenting vehicle for the detection of lipid antigen specific biomarker antibodies in antibody containing biological samples in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis. The purified lipid cell wall component is typically a purified mycolic acid or a mixture of mycolic acids from a mycobacterium that produces mycolic acids. The sterol-modified lipid is typically a phospholipid.