MALDI-TOF MS is more accurate than VITEK II ANC card and API Rapid ID 32 A system for the identification of Clostridium species.
All 50 Clostridium difficile strains were definitely identified by Vitek2 system, Rapid ID 32A system, and MALDI-TOF. 
For 18 non-difficile Clostridium strains, the identification results were correct in 2, 0, and 17 strains by Vitek2, Rapid ID 32A, and MALDI-TOF, respectively [corrected].
Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Young Jin
YJ
Kim
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Si Hyun
SH
Kim
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Hyun-Jung
HJ
Park
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Hae-Geun
HG
Park
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Dongchul
D
Park
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Sae Am
SA
Song
Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hee Joo
HJ
Lee
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Dongeun
D
Yong
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine and AIDS Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jun Yong
JY
Choi
Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Joong-Ki
JK
Kook
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Hye Ran
HR
Kim
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea; Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jhsmile@inje.ac.kr.
Jeong Hwan
JH
Shin
D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Clostridium; MALDI-TOF MS; Mass spectrometry