[Rapid method study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry].

Objective: To establish the method on rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus and the performance of methicillin-resistance.

Methods: 40 isolation strains of staphylococcal were analyzed by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and API Staph Ident system, and the performance of methicillin-resistance was tested by Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing.

Results: 34 isolation strains were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS as Staphylococcus aureus, and the result was uniform to the API Staph Ident system. 11 isolation strains were identified as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 23 isolation strains were methicillin-susceptible to Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). All the 34 isolation strains were clustered to 2 species identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. The result was uniform to the Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing.

Conclusion: These results demonstrated that MALDI-TOF-MS could be a rapid technique for identification and discrimination of MRSA.