Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry-based method for discrimination between molecular types of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii.

We evaluated the usefulness of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for Cryptococcus identification at the species and subspecies levels by using an in-house database of 25 reference cryptococcal spectra. Eighty-one out of the 82 Cryptococcus isolates (72 Cryptococcus neoformans and 10 Cryptococcus gattii) tested were correctly identified with respect to their molecular type designations. We showed that MALDI-TOF MS is a practicable alternative to conventional mycology or DNA-based methods.