An alternative for urine cultures: Direct identification of uropathogens from urine by MALDI-TOF MS.

Urinary tract infections are one of the most common bacterial infections and rapid diagnosis of the infection is essential for appropriate antibiotic therapy. The goal of our study was to identify urinary pathogens directly by MALDI-TOF MS and to perform antibiotic susceptibility tests in order to shorten the period spent for culturing.Urine samples submitted for culture to the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory were enrolled in this study. Urine samples were screened for leukocyte and bacteria amount by flow cytometry. Samples with bacterial load of 106-107/mL were tested directly by MALDI-TOF MS and antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST) were performed.In total, 538 positive urine samples were evaluated in our study. MALDI-TOF MS identified the microorganism directly from the urine sample in 91.8% of these samples and the concordance rate of conventional identification and direct detection was 95.8% for Gram-negatives at the genus and species level. Escherichia coli (n:401) was the most frequently isolated microorganism, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n:57). AST results were generated for 111 of these urine samples and the concordance was 90% and 87% for E. coli and K. pneumoniae, respectively.Our results showed that screening of urine samples with flow cytometry to detect positive samples and identification of uropathogens directly by MALDI-TOF MS with an accuracy of over 90% can be a suitable method particularly for Gram-negative bacteria in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in stool specimens submitted for Clostridium difficile toxin testing.

The aim of this study was to determine the association between Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and efficacy of screening stools submitted for C. difficile toxin assay for prevalence of VRE. Between April 2012 and February 2014, 158 stool samples submitted for C. difficile toxin to the Marmara University Microbiology Laboratory, were included in the study. Stool samples were analyzed by enzyme immuno assay test; VIDAS (bioMerieux, France) for Toxin A&B. Samples were inoculated on chromID VRE (bioMerieux, France) and incubated 24h at 37°C. Manuel tests and API20 STREP (bioMerieux, France) test were used to identify the Enterococci species. After the species identification, vancomycin and teicoplanin MIC's were performed by E test and molecular resistance genes for vanA vs vanB were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 158 stool samples, 88 were toxin positive. The prevalence of VRE was 17%(n:19) in toxin positives however, 11.4% in toxin negatives(n:70). All VRE isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium. These results were evaluated according to Fischer's exact chi-square test and p value between VRE colonization and C. difficile toxin positivity was detected 0.047 (p<0.05). PPV and NPV were 79% and 47% respectively. In our study, the presence of VRE in C. difficile toxin positives is statistically significant compared with toxin negatives (p<0.05). Screening for VRE is both additional cost and work load for the laboratories. Therefore VRE screening among C. difficile toxin positive samples, will be cost effective for determination of high risk patients in the hospitals especially for developing countries.

Detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in stool specimens submitted for Clostridium difficile toxin testing

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the association between Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and efficacy of screening stools submitted for C. difficile toxin assay for prevalence of VRE. Between April 2012 and February 2014, 158 stool samples submitted for C. difficile toxin to the Marmara University Microbiology Laboratory, were included in the study. Stool samples were analyzed by enzyme immuno assay test; VIDAS (bioMerieux, France) for Toxin A&B. Samples were inoculated on chromID VRE (bioMerieux, France) and incubated 24 h at 37 °C. Manuel tests and API20 STREP (bioMerieux, France) test were used to identify the Enterococci species. After the species identification, vancomycin and teicoplanin MIC's were performed by E test and molecular resistance genes for vanA vs vanB were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 158 stool samples, 88 were toxin positive. The prevalence of VRE was 17%(n:19) in toxin positives however, 11.4% in toxin negatives(n:70). All VRE isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecium. These results were evaluated according to Fischer's exact chi-square test and p value between VRE colonization and C. difficile toxin positivity was detected 0.047 (p < 0.05). PPV and NPV were 79% and 47% respectively. In our study, the presence of VRE in C. difficile toxin positives is statistically significant compared with toxin negatives (p < 0.05). Screening for VRE is both additional cost and work load for the laboratories. Therefore VRE screening among C. difficile toxin positive samples, will be cost effective for determination of high risk patients in the hospitals especially for developing countries.