Rapid discrimination of Legionella by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

• DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2010.02.005
• Publication Date: 2010-03-27T08:22:54Z
• Authors: Yoshihito Fujinami; Hitomi S. Kikkawa; Yohei Kurosaki; Koichi Sakurada; Mineo Yoshino; Jiro Yasuda
• Keywords: Legionella; Legionnaires' disease

Molecular typing is an important tool in the surveillance and investigation of human Legionella infection outbreaks. In this study, two molecular typing methods, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), were used to discriminate 23 Legionella pneumophila strains. The usefulness of MALDI-TOF-MS was demonstrated. The MALDI-TOF-MS fingerprinting with filtered small acid-soluble molecules gave different molecular profiles among strains, and the clustal analysis with MALDI-TOF-MS showed a high discrimination of strains the same as that with PFGE. In addition, MALDI-TOF-MS data could be generated within a few hours after the initial culture, although PFGE analyses took several days to complete. Thus, MALDI-TOF-MS offers a simple and rapid discrimination technique that could aid in the tracking of fast-spreading outbreaks of Legionella.