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. 1996 Sep;64(9):3911–3915. doi: 10.1128/iai.64.9.3911-3915.1996

Absolute identification of muramic acid, at trace levels, in human septic synovial fluids in vivo and absence in aseptic fluids.

A Fox 1, K Fox 1, B Christensson 1, D Harrelson 1, M Krahmer 1
PMCID: PMC174313  PMID: 8751949

Abstract

This is the first report of a study employing the state-of-the-art technique of gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for absolute identification of muramic acid (a marker for peptidoglycan) at trace levels in a human or animal body fluid or tissue. Daughter mass spectra of synovial fluid muramic acid peaks (> or = 30 ng/ml) were identical to those of pure muramic acid. Absolute chemical identification at this level represents a 1,000-fold increase in sensitivity over previous gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identifications. Muramic acid was positively identified in synovial fluids during infection and was eliminated over time but was absent from aseptic fluids.

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Selected References

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