Identification of Candida haemulonii Complex Species: Use of ClinProToolsTM to Overcome Limitations of the Bruker BiotyperTM, VITEK MSTM IVD, and VITEK MSTM RUO Databases

• Published in: Frontiers in microbiology Vol. 7
• Main Authors: Grenfell, Rafaella C., da Silva Junior, Afonso R., Del Negro, Gilda M. B., Munhoz, Regina B., Gimenes, Viviane M. F., Assis, Diego M., Rockstroh, Anna C., Motta, Adriana L., Rossi, Flavia, Juliano, Luiz, Benard, Gil, de Almeida Júnior, João N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 16.06.2016
• Subjects: Microbiology
• ISSN: 1664-302X; 1664-302X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00940

Candida haemulonii is now considered a complex of two species and one variety: C. haemulonii sensu stricto, Candida duobushaemulonii and the variety C. haemulonii var. vulnera . Identification (ID) of these species is relevant for epidemiological purposes and for therapeutic management, but the different phenotypic commercial systems are unable to provide correct species ID for these emergent pathogens. Hence, we evaluated the MALDI-TOF MS performance for the ID of C. haemulonii species, analyzing isolates/strains of C. haemulonii complex species, Candida pseudohaemulonii and Candida auris by two commercial platforms, their databases and softwares. To differentiate C. haemulonii sensu sctricto from the variety vulnera , we used the ClinProTools TM models and a single-peak analysis with the software FlexAnalysis TM . The Biotyper TM database gave 100% correct species ID for C. haemulonii sensu stricto, C. pseudohaemulonii and C. auris , with 69% of correct species ID for C. duobushaemulonii . Vitek MS TM IVD database gave 100% correct species ID for C. haemulonii sensu stricto, misidentifying all C. duobushaemulonii and C. pseudohaemulonii as C. haemulonii , being unable to identify C. auris . The Vitek MS TM RUO database needed to be upgraded with in-house SuperSpectra to discriminate C. haemulonii sensu stricto, C. duobushaemulonii , C. pseudohaemulonii , and C. auris strains/isolates. The generic algorithm model from ClinProTools TM software showed recognition capability of 100% and cross validation of 98.02% for the discrimination of C. haemulonii sensu stricto from the variety vulnera. Single-peak analysis showed that the peaks 5670, 6878, or 13750 m/z can distinguish C. haemulonii sensu stricto from the variety vulnera.