title: Effect of gamma radiation on the identification of bacterial pathogens by MALDI-TOF MS.
abstract: MALDI-TOF MS is a well-established method for rapid identification of bacteria; however there are no reports to date on its performance with gamma-irradiated samples typically used in BSL-3 laboratories for sample inactivation. In this report we demonstrate that gamma-irradiated bacteria can be accurately identified by MALDI-TOF MS in most cases, but a decrease in identification scores is observed.
authors.affiliation: National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E 3R2.
authors.forename: Dobryan M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tracz
authors.forename: Stuart J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: McCorrister
authors.forename: Garrett R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Westmacott
authors.forename: Cindi R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Corbett
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*