title: [Use of MALDI-TOF in the rapid diagnosis of sepsis].
abstract: The introduction of mass spectrometry through MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight) in the diagnosis of bacteraemia and fungaemia has represented a revolution due to the rapidity and reliability of the results that it can offer to microbiology services and laboratories through analysis of the mass spectrum of the bacterial protein directly from positive blood culture bottles. These data are more useful if they are used in conjunction with other techniques able to identify the antibiotic resistance pattern of the microorganism. There is a need for a process of standardising sample processing protocols and for perfecting the identification of the agents causing bacteraemia, especially in some species of Gram-positive cocci and in polymicrobial processes. The introduction of this methodology provides rapid information that is highly important for the clinical management of bacteraemia. The availability of a multidisciplinary working group that applies all this information quickly and correctly in hospitals will improve the quality of care, reduce antibiotic expenditure and hospital stay and help to control the serious problem of antibiotic resistance.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, España; Área de Microbiología, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante, España. Electronic address: rodriguez_juadia@gva.es.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlos Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, España; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, España.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ángel Bratos
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ezpeleta
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000097:blood; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins
keywords: Blood culture; Diagnóstico rápido; Espectrometría de masas; Hemocultivo; MALDI-TOF; Mass spectrometry; Rapid diagnosis; Sepsis