Separation of Mycobacterium bovis BCG from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis by using high-performance liquid chromatography of mycolic acids.

Profile analysis of mycolic acid ester patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, and Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Gúerin (BCG) using high-performance liquid chromatography indicated that separation of BCG from M. tuberculosis and M. bovis by elution and relative retention times is possible. Mycolic acid patterns of BCG eluted from the column 0.5 min before M. tuberculosis or M. bovis, resulting in relative retention times for two peaks not seen in the pattern of M. tuberculosis or M. bovis. Identification was confirmed by phage typing, which has been the standard procedure for confirmation of BCG strains. These results showed that high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of mycolic acid esters can be used in the mycobacterial reference laboratory for separation of BCG from M. tuberculosis and M. bovis.