The integration of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in clinical microbiology has revolutionized species identification of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. However, beyond straightforward identification, the method has also been suggested to have the potential for subspecies-level or even type-level epidemiological analyses. This minireview explores MALDI-TOF MS-based typing, which has already been performed on many clinically relevant species. We discuss the limits of the method's resolution and we suggest interpretative criteria allowing valid comparison of strain-specific data. We conclude that guidelines for MALDI-TOF MS-based typing can be developed along the same lines as those used for the interpretation of data from pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
CITATION STYLE
Spinali, S., Van Belkum, A., Goering, R. V., Girard, V., Welker, M., Van Nuenen, M., … Durand, G. (2015, March 1). Microbial typing by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry: Do we need guidance for data interpretation? Journal of Clinical Microbiology. American Society for Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01635-14
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