title: [MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in clinical bacteriology or how to identify a bacteria within one minute].
abstract: The major application of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in clinical microbiology is the bacterial identification based on the analysis of all their proteins (ribosomal and membrane-associated proteins). This technology allows the identification of most of bacteria within a few minutes. The method is fast, accurate, reliable and cost-effective by comparison to conventional phenotypic techniques. Other applications of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry are still under development, as the detection of bacterial toxins or resistance mechanisms to antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Service de Microbiologie Médicale, CHU de Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Descy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meex
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Melin
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hayette
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huynen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Mol
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization