Antigen fingerprinting based on surface glycolipid antigens was applied to the epidemiology of clinical isolates of the Mycobacterium avium complex from 128 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 31 non-AIDS patients from several different regions of Spain. The application of thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and monoclonal antibodies, combined with ELISA, allowed a facile identification, differentiation and classification of the isolates. The cumulative results demonstrate that, among the clinical isolates, serovar 4 was predominant in both AIDS (33.6%) and non-AIDS (22.6%) isolates. In general, the results demonstrate geographical as well as disease-related differences in the distribution of Myco. avium complex serovars of clinical importance.
Torrelles, J B, D Chatterjee, J G Lonca, J M Manterola, V R Ausina, and P J Brennan. (2000) 2000. “Serovars of Mycobacterium Avium Complex Isolated from AIDS and Non-AIDS Patients in Spain”. Journal of Applied Microbiology 88 (2): 266-79.