title: Identification of medically relevant microorganisms by vibrational spectroscopy.
abstract: In the recent years, vibrational spectroscopies (infrared and Raman spectroscopy) have been developed for all sorts of analyses in microbiology. Important features of these methods are the relative ease with which measurements can be performed. Furthermore, in order to obtain infrared or Raman spectra, there is only a limited amount of sample handling involved without the need for expensive chemicals, labels or dyes. Here, we review the potential application of vibrational spectroscopies for the use in medical microbiology. After describing some of the basics of the techniques, considerations on reproducibility and standardisation are presented. Finally, the use of infrared and Raman spectroscopy for the (rapid) identification of medically relevant microorganisms is discussed. It can be concluded that vibrational spectroscopies show high potential as novel methods in medical microbiology.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Intensive Care Research and Optical Spectroscopy, Department of General Surgery 10M, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Dr Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maquelin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kirschner
authors.forename: L-P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Choo-Smith
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van den Braak
authors.forename: H Ph
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Endtz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Naumann
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Puppels
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000379:methods; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods