Abstract
As a result of its being inexpensive, easy to perform, fast and accurate, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) is quickly becoming the standard means of bacterial identification from cultures in clinical microbiology laboratories. Its adoption for routine identification of yeasts and even dimorphic and filamentous fungi in cultures, while slower, is now being realized, with many of the same benefits as have been recognized on the bacterial side. In this review, the use of MALDI-ToF MS for identification of yeasts, and dimorphic and filamentous fungi grown in culture will be reviewed, with strengths and limitations addressed.
Highlights
Background and IntroductionThe concept of using mass spectrometry for bacterial identification was suggested by CatherineFenselau and John Anhalt in 1975 [1], but at the time, intact proteins were not analyzable due to fragmentation during the mass spectrometry (MS) process, with mass spectrometric analysis of intact proteins only becoming possible a decade later
Initial applications of MALDI-ToF MS for rapid, inexpensive identification of microorganisms in culture focused on bacteria, it was quickly realized that this new technology could be applied to yeasts and, with some caveats, dimorphic and filamentous fungi
Trichosporon inkin and Trichosporon asahii are included in both FDA-approved/cleared databases, with T. mucoides claimed by the Vitek MS database and T. mucoides group claimed by the MALDI Biotyper CA system (Table 1). de Almeida et al subjected 16 Trichosporon species isolates to MALDI-ToF MS using the Bruker system, evaluating several extraction methods [40]
Summary
The concept of using mass spectrometry for bacterial identification was suggested by Catherine. Compared the VITEK MS (V2.0 knowledge base) and the Biotyper (v3.0 software, v3.0.10.0 database, using a species-level cutoff ≥2.000) systems for identification of 210 yeasts using on-plate formic acid testing, showing identification of 96% and 91%, respectively [29]. Lee et al compared the Bruker and VITEK MS systems for identification of 309 clinical isolates of four common Candida species, C. neoformans, as well as 37 uncommon yeast species, using on-plate formic acid preparation [34]. Porte et al compared the two commercial MALDI-ToF MS systems in a routine laboratory in Chile, in a study that included 47 yeasts; the bioMérieux system yielded higher rates of yeast identification to species-level than did the Bruker system (46 and 37 respectively) [38]
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