title: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry for the identification of clinically relevant bacteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) allows rapid and reliable identification of microorganisms, particularly clinically important pathogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We compared the identification efficiency of MALDI-TOF MS with that of Phoenix®, API® and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis on 1,019 strains obtained from routine diagnostics. Further, we determined the agreement of MALDI-TOF MS identifications as compared to 16S gene sequencing for additional 545 strains belonging to species of Enterococcus, Gardnerella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. For 94.7% of the isolates MALDI-TOF MS results were identical with those obtained with conventional systems. 16S sequencing confirmed MALDI-TOF MS identification in 63% of the discordant results. Agreement of identification of Gardnerella, Enterococcus, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species between MALDI-TOF MS and traditional method was high (Crohn's kappa values: 0.9 to 0.93).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MALDI-TOF MS represents a rapid, reliable and cost-effective identification technique for clinically relevant bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Cantonal Institute of Microbiology, Bellinzona, Switzerland. cinzia.benagli@ti.ch
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benagli
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolina
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonolla
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Petrini
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016975:Gardnerella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S