Title : Species identification of Lactose Non-fermenting isolates from Ventilator-associated pneumonia using VITEK 2 and MALDI TOF MS: A comparative study with Next-generation sequencing
Abstract:
Bacterial identification is essential for effective patient care, particularly in critical care settings with common severe infections. In most Indian laboratory settings, the VITEK 2 system is widely utilized for identifying clinical isolates and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. To assess the accuracy of bacterial identification, a comparative study was undertaken to evaluate the concordance and correlation between the Vitek 2 system and MALDI-TOF MS-based biomarker identification, with next-generation sequencing (NGS) serving as a confirmatory reference method.A total of 97 isolates were recovered from blood and respiratory specimens. Subsequent identification of these isolates was performed using three distinct methods: VITEK 2, MALDI-TOF, and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS).Our study revealed a high degree of concordance between the identification methods, with a 97% agreement rate between VITEK2 and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), and a 90% agreement rate between VITEK2 and MALDI-TOF MS.The VITEK 2 system is a viable and sufficient option for bacterial identification and susceptibility testing in resource-limited settings.
