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Rapid Identification of Microorganisms from Positive Blood Culture by MALDI-TOF MS After Short-Term Incubation on Solid Medium

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Abstract

Matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is a useful tool for rapid identification of microorganisms. Unfortunately, its direct application to positive blood culture is still lacking standardized procedures. In this study, we evaluated an easy- and rapid-to-perform protocol for MALDI-TOF MS direct identification of microorganisms from positive blood culture after a short-term incubation on solid medium. This protocol was used to evaluate direct identification of microorganisms from 162 positive monomicrobial blood cultures; at different incubation times (3, 5, 24 h), MALDI-TOF MS assay was performed from the growing microorganism patina. Overall, MALDI-TOF MS concordance with conventional methods at species level was 60.5, 80.2, and 93.8% at 3, 5, and 24 h, respectively. Considering only bacteria, the identification performances at species level were 64.1, 85.0, and 94.1% at 3, 5, and 24 h, respectively. This protocol applied to a commercially available MS typing system may represent, a fast and powerful diagnostic tool for pathogen direct identification and for a promptly and pathogen-driven antimicrobial therapy in selected cases.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Microbiology and Virology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Corso Bramante 88, 10126, Turin, Italy

      Antonio Curtoni, Raffaella Cipriani, Anna Maria Barbui, Rossana Cavallo & Cristina Costa

    2. Bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory, Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

      Elisa Simona Marra

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    1. Antonio Curtoni
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    2. Raffaella Cipriani
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    3. Elisa Simona Marra
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    4. Anna Maria Barbui
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    5. Rossana Cavallo
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    6. Cristina Costa
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    Correspondence to Antonio Curtoni.

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    “All procedures performed in studies involving human participants where in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.”

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    Antonio Curtoni and Raffaella Cipriani equally contributed to this study and share first authorship.

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    Curtoni, A., Cipriani, R., Marra, E.S. et al. Rapid Identification of Microorganisms from Positive Blood Culture by MALDI-TOF MS After Short-Term Incubation on Solid Medium. Curr Microbiol 74, 97–102 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-016-1161-2

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-016-1161-2

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