Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight: a promising alternative method of identifying the major coagulase-negative Staphylococci speciesINTRODUCTION. This study aimed to evaluate different methods for differentiation of species of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) that caused infections in hospitalized immunocompromised patients.
METHODS. A total of 134 CoNS strains were characterized using four different methods.
RESULTS. The results of matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis were in complete agreement with those of tuf gene sequencing (kappa index = 1.00). The kappa index of Vitek 2® Compact analysis was 0.85 (very good) and that of the conventional method was 0.63 (moderate).
CONCLUSIONS . MALDI-TOF MS provided rapid and accurate results for the identification of CoNS (134; 100%).
Keywords:
Coagulase-negative staphylococci; MALDI-TOF; tuf gene