Mass Spec on the Microbial Outbreak Scene

Researchers at the Brisbane, Australia-based diagnostic lab Mater Pathology report in a Journal of Clinical Microbiology paper appearing online in advance this week on their MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry-based investigation of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. The Mater Pathology team reports having applied MALDI-TOF MS to quickly and accurately identify vanB positive E. faecium VRE from susceptible isolates, and to ascertain the relatedness of isolates contributing to an outbreak. "Internal validation of the optimal model generated produced a sensitivity of 92.4 percent and specificity of 85.2 percent," the authors write, adding that "prospective validation results, following incorporation into routine laboratory workflow, demonstrated a greater sensitivity and specificity at 96.7 percent and 98.1 percent respectively."