ENRICHED ANTIBODY POPULATION, HIGHLY SPECIFIC FOR AN ANTIGEN OF A SURFACE POLYSACCHARIDE LIPOARABINOMANNAN (LAM) FROM A MYCOBACTERIUM, METHOD FOR DETECTING MYCOBACTERIAL INFECTION IN A SAMPLE AND A KIT FOR DETECTING A MYCOBACTERIAL INFECTION

摘要

The invention relates to an enriched antibody population, highly specific for an antigen of a surface polysaccharide lipoarabinomannan (LAM) from a mycobacterium. In a related embodiment, the antibody is enriched by having been raised in an environment that maintains antigenically active antigen. These antibodies may be used in an immunoreactive environment for detecting the presence of a mycobacterial infection in a sample from a subject.