[Application of mass spectrometry to bacterial identification]

Correct and rapid identification of bacteria is essential for the correct diagnosis and treatment of infected patients. Until a few years ago, biochemical, colorimetric or even antibiotic sensitivity tests were used to identify genera and species. The main limitations of these methods were the time needed for their performance and the difficulty of distinguishing between microorganisms that were little reactive, highly similar, or difficult to culture. Many of these problems have been solved by the introduction of mass spectrometry (MS) in the laboratory with the use of MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight). Knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of this technology is essential to be able to take maximum advantage of this technique. Not all microorganisms can be identified with the same ease and reliability by MALDI-TOF and microbiologists need to know how to interpret the results obtained with this technique and the available alternatives in order to identify the microorganisms causing the most problems. This article aims to summarise the available information on the correct identification of the main human pathogenic bacteria through the use of MALDI-TOF MS, focusing on Gram-negative, Grampositive and anaerobic microorganisms. The main factors that must be taken into account for the reliable identification of any bacterium are the conditions for culture, sample preparation with the ideal extraction method and especially the use of a correct and updated database.