A composition comprising a carrier and a purified mycobacterial lipid cell-wall component and its use in the prevention, treatment and diagnosis of disease

摘要

The invention relates to a method of diagnosing a mycobacterial infection in a subject comprising the steps of: contacting a sample from the subject with a purified mycobacterial lipid cell-wall component or analog or derivative thereof or a synthetic form thereof or with a composition comprising a purified mycobacterial lipid cell-wall component or analog or derivative thereof or synthetic form thereof or with a conjugate comprising a purified mycobacterial lipid cell-wall component or analog or derivative thereof or synthetic form thereof and a carrier associated therewith or a composition comprising the conjugate; and detecting any reaction between the purified mycobacterial lipid cell-wall component or analog or derivative thereof or synthetic form thereof or composition or conjugate and the sample. The invention also relates to detection means for detecting the presence of antibodies comprising a solid phase and the above purified mycobacterial lipid cell-wall component or analog, derivative, synthetic form, composition or conjugate.