title: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry-based method for discrimination between molecular types of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii.
abstract: We evaluated the usefulness of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for Cryptococcus identification at the species and subspecies levels by using an in-house database of 25 reference cryptococcal spectra. Eighty-one out of the 82 Cryptococcus isolates (72 Cryptococcus neoformans and 10 Cryptococcus gattii) tested were correctly identified with respect to their molecular type designations. We showed that MALDI-TOF MS is a practicable alternative to conventional mycology or DNA-based methods.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Posteraro
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vella
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cogliati
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Carolis
authors.forename: Ada Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Posteraro
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanguinetti
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tortorano
mesh_terms: D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D056285:Cryptococcus gattii / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors