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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Rapid Identification of Gram Negative Bacteria from Blood Culture Broth Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry
Published on: May 28, 2014
Direct identification of microorganisms from thioglycolate broth by MALDI-TOF MS
Jorge Arca-Suárez1, Fátima Galán-Sánchez1,2, Pilar Marin-Casanova1
1Laboratorio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain.
Abstract:
We developed an easy MALDI-TOF MS-based assay to identify microorganisms directly from thioglycolate broth. A total of 101 positive thioglycolate broths inoculated with 15 different kinds of samples were evaluated. In 91 samples (90.1%), direct MALDI-TOF MS identifications were the same as those obtained after conventional laboratory procedures including subcultures. In 10 samples misidentified by direct processing, yeasts or mixed cultures grew in the thioglycolate subcultures, or high cellular debris hampered a correct analysis. This rapid method can provide a fast, clinically- relevant species-level identification without disturbing the daily workflow in clinical microbiology laboratories.
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