Strain differentiation of nosocomial isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by pyrolysis mass spectrometry.
Pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PyMS) was used for rapid interstrain comparison of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from a small outbreak of sternal wound infections in a cardiothoracic surgical ward. The PyMS results were compared with those obtained by conventional O-serotyping. All the isolates were phage non-typable. Evidence obtained from PyMS of identity/non-identity between isolates correlated completely with that obtained by O-typing and correctly identified those isolates comprising the epidemic strain, in one instance in advance of O-serotyping. The speed and versatility of PyMS make it an attractive technique for the initial screening of isolates from nosocomial outbreaks of infection with P. aeruginosa and other organisms.
Department of Microbiology, Regional Public Health Laboratory, Newcastle upon Tyne.
P R
PR
Sisson
R
R
Freeman
F K
FK
Gould
N F
NF
Lightfoot
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013045:Species Specificity