scholarly journals Application of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in clinical diagnostic microbiology

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (09) ◽  
pp. 1081-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena De Carolis ◽  
Antonietta Vella ◽  
Luisa Vaccaro ◽  
Riccardo Torelli ◽  
Teresa Spanu ◽  
...  

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has recently emerged as a powerful technique for identification of microorganisms, changing the workflow of well-established laboratories so that its impact on microbiological diagnostics has been unparalleled. In comparison with conventional identification methods that rely on biochemical tests and require long incubation procedures, MALDI-TOF MS has the advantage of identifying bacteria and fungi directly from colonies grown on culture plates in a few minutes and with simple procedures. Numerous studies on different systems available demonstrate the reliability and accuracy of the method, and new frontiers have been explored besides microbial species level identification, such as direct identification of pathogens from positive blood cultures, subtyping, and drug susceptibility detection.

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (20) ◽  
pp. 4775
Author(s):  
Sachio Tsuchida ◽  
Hiroshi Umemura ◽  
Tomohiro Nakayama

Mass spectrometry (MS), a core technology for proteomics and metabolomics, is currently being developed for clinical applications. The identification of microorganisms in clinical samples using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a representative MS-based proteomics application that is relevant to daily clinical practice. This technology has the advantages of convenience, speed, and accuracy when compared with conventional biochemical methods. MALDI-TOF MS can shorten the time used for microbial identification by about 1 day in routine workflows. Sample preparation from microbial colonies has been improved, increasing the accuracy and speed of identification. MALDI-TOF MS is also used for testing blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine, because it can directly identify the microorganisms in these liquid samples without prior culture or subculture. Thus, MALDI-TOF MS has the potential to improve patient prognosis and decrease the length of hospitalization and is therefore currently considered an essential tool in clinical microbiology. Furthermore, MALDI-TOF MS is currently being combined with other technologies, such as flow cytometry, to expand the scope of clinical applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Raghuveer Chava

Adsorption and desorption of iodine-containing α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (aCCa) matrix species were studied using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The MALDI-TOF MS method showed that ca. 0.8- 1.4 monolayer (~ 100 ppm) of iodine-containing species was adsorbed at the surface and assisted in desorption and ionization of a protein digest peptides or peptides varying in isoelectric potential. At low laser power, desorption of analytes in protonated and sodiated form was observed but not iodine cluster relative to aCCa without iodine, suggesting a two-electron reduction process to form the protonated pseudo molecular ion, although adsorption on the surface would lead to oxidation of iodide to iodine. The addition of iodine to matrix has been demonstrated to greatly facilitate the MALDI-TOF MS process and is a valuable tool when complex protein mixtures need to be analyzed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Patel

As a result of its being inexpensive, easy to perform, fast and accurate, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) is quickly becoming the standard means of bacterial identification from cultures in clinical microbiology laboratories. Its adoption for routine identification of yeasts and even dimorphic and filamentous fungi in cultures, while slower, is now being realized, with many of the same benefits as have been recognized on the bacterial side. In this review, the use of MALDI-ToF MS for identification of yeasts, and dimorphic and filamentous fungi grown in culture will be reviewed, with strengths and limitations addressed.


Author(s):  
Rosa M Gomila ◽  
Gabriel Martorell ◽  
Pablo A Fraile-Ribot ◽  
Antonio Doménech-Sánchez ◽  
Miguel Albertí ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Classification and early detection of severe COVID-19 patients is required to establish an effective treatment. We tested the utility of matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to classify and predict the severity of COVID-19. Methods We used MALDI-TOF MS to analyse the serum peptidome from 72 COVID-19 patients (training cohort), clinically classified as mild (28), severe (23) and critical (21), and 20 healthy controls. The resulting matrix of peak intensities was used for Machine Learning (ML) approaches to classify and predict COVID-19 severity of 22 independent patients (validation cohort). Finally, we analysed all sera by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS) to identify the most relevant proteins associated to disease severity. Results We found a clear variability of the serum peptidome profile depending on COVID-19 severity. Forty-two peaks exhibited a log fold change ≥ 1 and 17 were significantly different and at least four-fold more intense in the set of critical patients than in the mild ones. ML approach classified clinical stable patients according to their severity with a 100% of accuracy and predicted correctly the evolution of the non-stable patients in all cases. LC MS/MS identified five proteins that were significantly upregulated in the critical patients. They included the serum amyloid protein A2, which probably yielded the most intense peak detected by MALDI-TOF MS. Conclusion We demonstrated the potential of the MALDI-TOF MS as a bench to bedside technology to aid clinicians in their decisions on COVID-19 patients.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Μαρία Κυρίτση

Η εκτίμηση κινδύνου και η πρόληψη της Νόσου των Λεγεωναρίων βασίζονται κυρίως στην ανίχνευση του μικροοργανισμού σε δείγματα νερού. Νόσο στον άνθρωπο προκαλεί κυρίως η Legionella pneumophila οροτύπου 1 (Lp1) και ιδιαίτερα στελέχη τα οποία φέρουν τις περιοχές παθογονικότητας lvh και rtxA. Επομένως, η αξιολόγηση τόσο του ορότυπου όσο και των προαναφερθέντων παραγόντων παθογονικότητας είναι εξαιρετικά σημαντική προκειμένου να υπάρχει ολοκληρωμένη εκτίμηση κινδύνου ενός συστήματος νερού. Σκοπός της διατριβής: 1. Η ανάπτυξη μίας απλής, ταχείας, φθηνής και αξιόπιστης μεθοδολογίας για τον προσδιορισμό των οροτύπων στελεχών Lp, η οποία να μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί ως μέθοδος ρουτίνας σε ένα μικροβιολογικό εργαστήριο.2. Ο προσδιορισμός αξιόπιστων βιοδεικτών με σκοπό την ανίχνευση των περιοχών παθογονικότητας lvh και rtxA σε στελέχη τα οποία απομονώνονται κατά τη διάρκεια τακτικών ελέγχων. 3. Η επικύρωση των ανωτέρω μεθόδων. Υλικά και μέθοδοι: Για τη διατριβή χρησιμοποιήθηκαν 15 στελέχη αναφοράς και 150 περιβαλλοντικά στελέχη Lp (70 Lp1 και 80 Lp2-15 στελέχη). Οκτώ (8) Lp2-15 στελέχη οροτυπήθηκαν με τη χρήση μονοκλωνικών αντισωμάτων (monoclonal antibodies-Mab), ενώ τα υπόλοιπα περιβαλλοντικά στελέχη οροτυπήθηκαν με τη χρήση δοκιμασίας ανοσοσυγκόλησης. Σε όλα τα στελέχη πραγματοποιήθηκε PCR προς ανίχνευση των περιοχών lvh και rtxA. Κατόπιν, δημιουργήθηκαν ομάδες στελεχών αναφοράς και στελεχών επικύρωσης. Όλα τα στελέχη υποβλήθηκαν σε εξαγωγή των ριβοσωμικών και επιφανειακών πρωτεϊνών και ακολούθησε ανάλυση με MALDI-TOF MS. Στα πρωτογενή φάσματα των στελεχών των ομάδων αναφοράς έγινε επεξεργασία με το λογισμικό Mass-Up για την ανάδειξη βιοδεικτών τόσο για τον προσδιορισμό του οροτύπου όσο και για την ανίχνευση των περιοχών παθογονικότητας. Ακολούθησε επικύρωση της μεθόδου με τη χρήση των στελεχών των ομάδων επικύρωσης.Αποτελέσματα: Για τον προσδιορισμό του οροτύπου η ανάλυση με το λογισμικό Mass-up υπέδειξε πέντε (5) πρωτεϊνικές κορυφές ως πιθανούς βιοδείκτες για τον ορότυπο. Ο αλγόριθμος ταξινόμησε ορθά 115 από τα 132 στελέχη της ομάδας επικύρωσης με ακρίβεια 87,12% (95%CI:80,18-92,32%). Η ευαισθησία της μεθόδου προσδιορίστηκε στο 87,5% (95%CI:77.59-94.12%) και η ειδικότητα στο 86,67% (95%CI:75,41-94,06%). Σχετικά με την ανίχνευση των περιοχών παθογονικότητας προσδιορίστηκαν δύο πρωτεϊνικές κορυφές που μπορούν να χρησιμεύσουν ως βιοδείκτες για την rtxA περιοχή και μία για την lvh. Σε ό,τι αφορά την ανίχνευση της lvh περιοχής, με τη χρήση των βιοδεικτών, ταξινομήθηκαν ορθά τα 113 από τα 137 θετικά και όλα τα αρνητικά στελέχη (14 συνολικά). Η μέθοδος επέδειξε ευαισθησία 82,48% (95%CI:75,06-88,44%), ειδικότητα 100,00% (95%CI:76,84-100,00%) και ακρίβεια 84,11% (95%CI:77,28-89,54%). Ομοίως, για την rtxA περιοχή, 134 από τα 134 θετικά στελέχη και 14 από τα 17 αρνητικά στελέχη ταξινομήθηκαν ορθά. Η μέθοδος παρουσίασε ευαισθησία 100,00% (95%CI:97,28-100,00%), ειδικότητα 76,47% (95%CI:50,10-93,19%) και ακρίβεια 97,35% (95%CI:93,36-99,27%). Συμπεράσματα: Η μέθοδος MALDI-TOF MS, με τη χρήση του πρωτοκόλλου της πρωτεϊνικής εξαγωγής, αποδείχθηκε αξιόπιστη τόσο στον προσδιορισμό του οροτύπου της Lp όσο και στην ανίχνευση των περιοχών παθογονικότητας lvh και rtxA. Αυτοματοποίηση της μεθόδου και περαιτέρω αξιολόγηση με τη χρήση της τεχνικής της απευθείας επίστρωσης του μικροοργανισμού, ώστε να απλοποιηθεί ακόμη περισσότερο το πρωτόκολλο, θα μπορούσε να συνεισφέρει σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό στην ταχεία, φθηνή και απλή αξιολόγηση κινδύνου, καθώς και στη διερεύνηση κρουσμάτων της Νόσου των Λεγεωναρίων.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed AlMogbel ◽  
Mohammed AlBolbol ◽  
Noura Elkhizzi ◽  
Hisham AlAjlan ◽  
John Philip Hays ◽  
...  

Abstract Nocardia cyriacigeorgica (N. cyriacigeorgica) is most frequently associated with human infections, including chronic bronchitis, pulmonary disease and brain abscesses. In general, N. cyriacigeorgica causes infections in immunocompromised individuals and has been reported in clinical samples worldwide. However, the isolation and speciation of N. cyriacigeorgica in the routine diagnostic microbiology laboratory are complicated and time consuming. Recent mass spectrometry techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) have been successfully integrated into many routine diagnostic microbiology laboratories, allowing for the rapid, accurate and simple identification and speciation of many different microorganisms, including difficult-to-identify bacterial species. Here, we present a case report of a 65-year-old female patient from the neurology ward of Prince Sultan Military Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who was infected with N. cyriacigeorgica. The bacterium was successfully identified by MALDI-TOF-MS, with species identification subsequently confirmed by sequence analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA.


2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (9) ◽  
pp. 1117-1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.L. Pannkuk ◽  
D.F. Gilmore ◽  
B.J. Savary ◽  
T.S. Risch

Lipids secreted from sebaceous glands in bat integument may play a role in determining host pathogenicity by the fungus Geomyces destructans in white-nose syndrome (WNS). To investigate this, we have determined the triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles for three bat species: eastern red bats ( Lasiurus borealis (Müller, 1776)), evening bats ( Nycticeius humeralis (Rafinesque, 1818)), and big brown bats ( Eptesicus fuscus (Beauvois, 1796)). Neutral lipids extracted from the hair and wing tissue were fractionated by preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC) into four major lipid bands corresponding to cholesterol, free fatty acids (FFAs), TAGs, and sterol–wax esters. Densitometry showed higher proportions of TAGs in hair than from wing tissue. TAG bands were recovered and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF MS). Mass spectra showed sodiated TAG species with variable fatty acyl (FA) moieties range from m/z 715.6–911.8. High intensity ion peaks were consistent with 16:0 and 18:1 as dominant FA moieties, and these were identified as palmitic and oleic acids, respectively, by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. We determined significant differences in TAG profiles between three bat species by MALDI–TOF MS, providing the first description of integumentary lipids in bats. In this study, we performed the first TAG profiling of bats, which suggest such profiles may be species-specific in bats.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Thais Cristina de Assis Oliveira ◽  
Maria Aparecida Vasconcelos Paiva Brito ◽  
Marcia Giambiagi-de Marval ◽  
Nívea Maria Vicentini ◽  
Carla Christine Lange

Abstract In this Research Communication we evaluate the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify 380 bacteria isolated from cases of bovine mastitis in Brazil. MALDI-TOF MS identifications were compared to previous identifications by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequencing. MALDI-TOF MS achieved a typeability of 95.5%. The accuracy of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification of Staphylococcus isolates was 93.2%. The agreement between MALDI-TOF MS and biochemical identification of Streptococcus agalactiae was 96%, however, the agreement between these techniques for identifying other catalase-negative, Gram-positive cocci was lower. Agreement in identifying Gram-negative bacteria at the genus level was 90.5%. Our findings corroborate that MALDI-TOF MS is an accurate, rapid and simple technique for identifying bovine mastitis pathogens. The availability of this methodology in some research institutions would represent a significant step toward increasing the diagnosis and epidemiological studies of bovine mastitis and other animal infectious diseases in Brazil.


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