[Differentiation and identification of mycobacteria by means of thin-layer chromatography of their lipids. III. Application for the classification of scotochromogenic mycobacteria (author's transl)].

Experiences with the lipid analysis of scotochromogenic mycobacteria by means of thin-layer chromatography are described. Out of 18 strains of M. scrofulaceum 11 belong to the serotypes Lunning, Gause, and Scrofulaceum. The similarity of the lipid patterns of the M. scrofulaceum strains to the ones of the M. avium-M. intracellulare group supports the contention of some authors that these species are closely related. Lipid analysis of further species of RUNYON's group II (M. xenopi, M. gordonae, M. kansasii var. aurantiacum, M. flavescens, M. acapulcensis, M. paraffinicum, M. thermoresistibile) gives the evidence that a differentiation by means of thin-layer separation is possible in these cases, too. The answer to the question whether these lipid patterns are species specific or not can only be given when a large number of strains of every species will be investigated.