Rapid Detection of Foodborne ESBL-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The proliferation of enterobacteria that produce extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) has become an important public health concern. The objective of this work was to optimize a phenotypic method for straightforward and rapid ESBL detection in strains obtained from food environments, employing MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A collection of 162 enterobacterial isolates, including ESBL producers, AmpC producers, ESBL-AmpC coproducers and sensitive strains was analyzed using a quick method based on cefotaxime hydrolysis. Statistical analysis showed that although the presence of constitutive AmpC hyperproducers could reduce its specificity, this MALDI-TOF assay is an excellent tool for quickly classifying ESBL-producing strains of foodborne Enterobacteriaceae.

Keywords

• antibiotic resistance detection
• MALDI-TOF
• β-lactamases
• foodborne microorganisms