PROSPECTS OF USING MALDI-TOF MS IN MEDICINE

Abstract

The timeliness and accuracy of the diagnosis of infectious diseases are associated with a decrease in mortality and a reduction in the duration of hospitalization, specially in severe, life-threatening infections. In an era of antibiotic resistance, need quick diagnosis which will make it possible at an early stage to streamline empirical antimicrobial therapy, it helps to limit the appearance and spread of stability of antimicrobial resistance. The introduction of a new technology based on matrix-activated laser desorption / ionization — time-of-flight analyzer (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) for routine identification of microbial pathogens has had a profound impact on microbiological diagnosis and gradually replaces the methods of biochemical identification. The application of the MALDI-ToF MS in addition to accelerating the identification of microorganisms, opens up new prospects for determining their sensitivity to antibiotics and antimicotics.