Mass spectrometry method identifies pathogens within minutes instead of days

Traditionally, bacterial diseases are diagnosed by the tedious isolation of pathogens and the creation of bacterial cultures. Waiting times of several days are the rule here. Only then can targeted treatment of the disease begin.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Imperial College London have developed a new method to identify bacteria with unprecedented speed. This means that the waiting time can be reduced from several days to just a few minutes.

The team, led by Nicole Strittmatter, professor of analytical chemistry at TUM, and Dr. James S. McKenzie (Imperial), uses mass spectrometry for its innovative approach. This enabled the researchers to identify specific metabolic products of bacteria directly in tissue and stool samples.

At the heart of the process is a database in which 232 medically important bacterial species and their metabolic products have been recorded to date. Biomarkers are derived from this database, which can then be used to directly detect specific bacteria.

Image source: Robert Reich / TUM.