Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2014; 16(1):10-17
To compare results of species identification of yeast isolated from vaginal discharge in women with vulvovaginal candidiasis using conventional microbiological methods and MALDI-TOF MS.
A total of 2304 isolates of yeast were tested by MALDI-TOF MS method. Species identification of 1294 isolates was also performed using conventional methods.
According to score values (indicates accuracy of identification), the best results (score 2-2.3) were yielded in 55.5% of C. albicans and 67.9% of nonalbicans Candida spp. One isolate (0.2%) of non-albicans Candida spp. subsequently identified by sequencing method as Pichia fabianii was not determined (score <1.7). Biochemical typing could identify 98.6% of yeast isolates. Coincident results were received in 1287 isolates: all isolates of Candida albicans and 278 (97.5%) of non-albicans Candida spp. Exceptions were 7 isolates belonging to 4 species: C. nivariensis, C. lambica, C. famata, and Pichia fabianii.
This study demonstrated a high coincidence rate for identification of yeast by MALDI-TOF MS versus conventional methods.