Performance of the VITEK® MS system for the identification of filamentous fungi in a microbiological laboratory in Chile

Author: mycolabadmin
12/23/2024
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Summary

This study tested a rapid fungal identification system called VITEK® MS in a Chilean hospital laboratory. The system uses mass spectrometry technology to identify mold species quickly and accurately, often within 48-72 hours. Results showed the system correctly identified over 91% of fungal samples without any mistakes, making it a valuable tool for diagnosing serious fungal infections in hospitalized patients.

Background

Filamentous fungi cause severe infections in immunocompromised patients, requiring rapid and accurate identification for appropriate antifungal therapy. Traditional identification methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and operator-dependent. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry offers a rapid alternative to conventional morphological identification.

Objective

To evaluate the performance and practicality of the VITEK® MS system with the Mould Kit and updated database (v3.2.0) for identifying filamentous fungi in a clinical microbiology laboratory in Chile.

Results

VITEK® MS correctly identified 91.0% of isolates (58.2% to species level, 29.9% to species complex level, and 1.5% to genus level only). In 82% of cases, results matched reference laboratory identifications. No misidentifications were observed. The kit was rapid and easy to use with results available within 48-72 hours of initial fungal growth.

Conclusion

The VITEK® MS system demonstrated high capability to accurately identify filamentous fungi in routine clinical laboratory settings without misidentifications. The updated database v3.2.0 showed improved performance compared to earlier versions, making it a practical alternative for laboratories lacking expert mycologists.

Published in:PLoS ONE,
Study Type:Diagnostic Accuracy Study,
Source: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315690, PMID: 39715188