Comparison of the Vitek MS and Bruker Microflex LT MALDI-TOF MS platforms for routine identification of commonly isolated bacteria and yeast in the clinical microbiology laboratory

This study compared the diagnostic performance of Bruker's Microflex LT and bioMérieux's Vitek MS matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry systems. A total of 477 isolates were tested on both instruments. Discrepant results were resolved by sequencing. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference between the proportion of isolates correctly identified, miscalled or not called by each instrument. Although both systems were good at identifying yeast (66/69 to species level), the confidence level was high only to genus level for 30% of the isolates on the Bruker. Both systems performed with high accuracy when evaluated solely on Food and Drug Administration–approved organisms for each database. A user-based assessment of the 2 instruments revealed an overall preference for the Vitek MS instrument.