Use of Serology and Thin-Layer Chromatography for the Assembly of an Authenticated Collection of Serovars Within the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare-Mycobacterium scrofulaceum Complex

Abstract

The seroagglutination test devised by Schaefer (Methods Microbiol. 13:323-344,1980) and the thin-layer chromatography procedure of Brennan et al. (J. Clin. Microbiol. 8:374–379,1978; 15:447–455,1982) were used to assemble an authenticated collection composed of 30 of the 31 known serovars of the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare-Mycobacterium scrofulaceum complex, and from these serovars a new set of absorbed specific homologous rabbit antisera was prepared. Isolates of a few serovars (serovars 18, 41, and 43) showed the expected seroagglutination reactions but also produced several thin-layer Chro-matographie profiles, a phenomenon which places further emphasis on the need to use both thin-layer chromatography and serological analyses when the epidemio-logical aspects of nontuberculous mycobacteria are examined.