Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) Analysis for the Identification of Pathogenic Microorganisms: A Review

Chen, Xin-Fei; Hou, Xin; Xiao, Meng; Zhang, Li; Cheng, Jing-Wei; Zhou, Meng-Lan; Huang, Jing-Jing; Zhang, Jing-Jia; Xu, Ying-Chun; Hsueh, Po-Ren

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been used in the field of clinical microbiology since 2010. Compared with the traditional technique of biochemical identification, MALDI-TOF MS has many advantages, including convenience, speed, accuracy, and low cost. The accuracy and speed of identification using MALDI-TOF MS have been increasing with the development of sample preparation, database enrichment, and algorithm optimization. MALDI-TOF MS has shown promising results in identifying cultured colonies and rapidly detecting samples. MALDI-TOF MS has critical research applications for the rapid detection of highly virulent and drug-resistant pathogens. Here we present a scientific review that evaluates the performance of MALDI-TOF MS in identifying clinical pathogenic microorganisms. MALDI-TOF MS is a promising tool in identifying clinical microorganisms, although some aspects still require improvement.