Evaluation of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-fight mass spectrometry for identification of 345 clinical isolates of Aspergillus species from 11 Korean hospitals: comparison with molecular identification.
We evaluated the ability of the Filamentous Fungi Library 1.0 of the MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper system to identify 345 clinical Aspergillus isolates from 11 Korean hospitals. Compared with results of the internal transcribed spacer region sequencing, the frequencies of correct identification at the species-complex level were 94.5% and 98.8% with cutoff values of 2.0 and 1.7, respectively. Compared with results of β-tubulin gene sequencing, the frequencies of correct identification at the species level were 96.0% (cutoff 2.0) and 100% (cutoff 1.7) for 303 Aspergillus isolates of five common, non-cryptic species, but only 4.8% (cutoff 1.7) and 0% (cutoff 2.0) for 42 Aspergillus isolates of six cryptic species (identifiable by β-tubulin or calmodulin sequencing). These results show that the MALDI Biotyper using the Filamentous Fungi Library version 1.0 enables reliable identification of the majority of common clinical Aspergillus isolates, although the database should be expanded to facilitate identification of cryptic species.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Ju Heon
JH
Park
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: shinjh@chonnam.ac.kr.
Jong Hee
JH
Shin
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Min Ji
MJ
Choi
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Jin Un
JU
Choi
Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yeon-Joon
YJ
Park
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Sook Jin
SJ
Jang
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Eun Jeong
EJ
Won
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Soo Hyun
SH
Kim
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Seung Jung
SJ
Kee
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Myung Geun
MG
Shin
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Soon Pal
SP
Suh
D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D014404:Tubulin
Aspergillus; Identification; MALDI Biotyper; MALDI-TOF MS