Rapid microbiological diagnostics in medicine using electromigration techniques

• We described the latest achievements in applicational aspect of electromigration techniques in microbe determination.
• We showed the theoretical basis, origin of the bacterial cells, cell wall compositions and we explained bacteria-capillary wall interactions.
• We showed exemplary works connected mainly with application of electromigration techniques in medical diagnosis and determination of bacterial species in the real samples (directly collected from the patients).
• The potential of electromigration techniques in the field of microbial determination is huge, the work should be continued in order to answer all the unexplained issues.

This review article focuses on the utilization of the electromigration techniques in determination of microorganisms and shows the applicational possibilities of these techniques mainly for medical purpose. First it describes the origin of bacterial surface charge and the impact of functional groups on bacterial properties measured by hyphenated techniques, such as: Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPC), NMR spectroscopy (13C NMR) and intact cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (IC MALDI-TOF MS). In the next stage this article describes present key points in the determination of microbes by capillary electrophoresis (different approaches – capillary wall modification). Special attention will be put to medical aspect, such as: surgical site infection (SSI), infection of blood, cerebrospinal fluid in tuberculosis and determination of bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections. The algorithm of diagnostic strategy and some future directions will be also presented.