Our team in Europe has developed the routine clinical laboratory identification of microorganisms by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). To evaluate the utility of MALDI-TOF MS in tropical Africa in collaboration with local teams, we installed an apparatus in the Hôpital Principal de Dakar (Senegal), performed routine identification of ...

Various biochemical, chemical, and microspectroscopic methods have been developed throughout the years for the screening and identification of mutants with altered cell wall structure. However, these procedures fail to provide the insight into structural aspects of the cell wall polymers. In this paper, we present various methods for rapidly screening Arabidopsis cell wall mutants. The enzymati...

BACKGROUND Early identification of pathogens from blood cultures using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry may optimize the choice of empirical antibiotic therapy in the setting of bloodstream infections. We aimed to assess the impact of this new technology on the use of antibiotic treatment in patients with gram-negative bacteremia. METHOD...

BACKGROUND Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry accurately identifies both selected bacteria and bacteria in select clinical situations. It has not been evaluated for routine use in the clinic. METHODS We prospectively analyzed routine MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identification in parallel with conventional phenotypic identification of bacte...

INTRODUCTION Gordonia spp. infections are uncommon. However, a few clinical cases have been reported in the literature, particularly those involving immunocompromised hosts. Advanced microbiology diagnosis techniques, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight MS (MALDI-TOF MS), have been recently introduced in clinical microbiology laboratories in order to improve micro...

The aim of this study was to compare the results obtained for identification by MALDI-TOF of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolated in clinical samples with those obtained by GenoType Mycobacterium CM/AS (common mycobacteria/additional species). A total of 66 Mycobacterium isolates from various clinical specimens (mainly respiratory) were tested in this study. They were identified using MAL...

Recent developments in mass spectrometry have introduced clinical proteomics to the forefront of diseases diagnosis, offering reliable, robust and efficient analytical method for biomarker discovery and monitoring. MALDI-TOF is a powerful tool for surveying proteins and peptides comprising the realm for clinical analysis. MALDI-TOF has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnostics by facili...

Flavobacteriosis, in Switzerland caused mainly by Flavobacterium psychrophilum (Flavobaceriaceae), has become an important problem for the Swiss fish farming industry. While records of skin and gill infections have been described since a long time, systemic infections, known as the so-called rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS), have been reported for the first time not until 1992. Since then, occ...

Charles River AccuPRO-ID®, the first practical proteotypic identification method, utilizes matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. For industries that are required to identify microorganisms on a regular basis, the ideal technology is one that is accurate, reproducible, fast and inexpensive. MALDI-TOF technology is less dependent on growth condi...

The genus Pseudoalteromonas constitutes an ecologically significant group of marine Gammaproteobacteria with potential biotechnological value as producers of bioactive compounds and of enzymes. Understanding their roles in the environment and bioprospecting for novel products depend on efficient ways of identifying environmental isolates. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flig...