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Evaluation of species-specific score cutoff values of routinely isolated clinically relevant bacteria using a direct smear preparation for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based bacterial identification

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Abstract

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was introduced a few years ago as a new method for bacterial identification. A variety of studies have been published concerning MALDI-TOF MS-based identification, most of them using culture collections for the validation of the respective databases in a retrospective manner in favor of a parallel investigation. The score cutoff value is of special importance for reliable species identification in the Biotyper database. The score cutoff values suggested by the manufacturer have been validated using a previously published formic acid extraction protocol. In most of the previously published studies investigating the Biotyper database, only little information was given concerning species-specific score values. In addition, the mass spectrometer instruments, the number of replicates, the number of spectra used to calculate a sum-spectrum by the supplied software, and the score cutoff values which have been applied varied within these studies. In this study, we compared a straightforward direct smear preparation and measurement without replicate testing to defined biochemical identifications in a parallel manner. In addition, we described new species-specific score cutoff values for the identification of certain bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Gurpreet Khaira (Vancouver, Canada) for the linguistic advice.

Conflict of interests

The authors certify that there is no actual or potential conflict in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Department for Medical Microbiology, University Bochum, National Reference Laboratory for Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria for Germany, Bochum, Germany

    F. Szabados, H. Tix, A. Anders, M. Kaase, S. G. Gatermann & G. Geis

  2. Institut für Medizinische Laboratoriumsmedizin (IML), Universitätsaninstitut, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    G. Geis

  3. Hygiene Institut Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

    H. Tix

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  1. F. Szabados
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Correspondence to F. Szabados.

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Szabados, F., Tix, H., Anders, A. et al. Evaluation of species-specific score cutoff values of routinely isolated clinically relevant bacteria using a direct smear preparation for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based bacterial identification. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 31, 1109–1119 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1415-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1415-7

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