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Detection of Candida albicans by Mass Spectrometric Fingerprinting

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Abstract

Candida albicans is one of the most frequent causes of fungal infections in humans. Significant correlation between candiduria and invasive candidiasis has previously been described. The existing diagnostic methods are often time-consuming, cost-intensive and lack in sensitivity and specificity. In this study, the profile of low-molecular weight volatile compounds in the headspace of C. albicans-urine suspensions of four different fungal cell concentrations compared to nutrient media and urine without C. albicans was determined using proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). At fungal counts of ≥1.5 × 105 colony forming units (CFU)/ml signals at 45, 47 and 73 atomic mass units (amu) highly significantly increased. At fungal counts of <1.5 × 105 CFU/ml signals at 47 and 73 amu also increased, but only at 45 amu a statistically significant increase was seen. Time course alterations of signal intensities dependent on different cell concentrations and after addition of Sabouraud nutrient solution were analysed. Recommendations for measurement conditions are given. Our study is the first to describe headspace profiling of C. albicans-urine suspensions of different fungal cell concentrations. PTR-MS represents a promising approach to rapid, highly sensitive and non-invasive clinical diagnostics allowing qualitative and quantitative analysis.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Austrian Federal Science Fund (FWF) with grant P-14149 MED to Josef Rieder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Vascular Surgery, Innsbruck University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Sarah Zehm

  2. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck University Hospital, Anichstrasse 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Simone Schweinitz & Josef Rieder

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder, Kajetanerplatz 1, 5010, Salzburg, Austria

    Hans Peter Colvin

  4. Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Fritz-Pregl Str. 3, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Reinhard Würzner

Authors
  1. Sarah Zehm
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  2. Simone Schweinitz
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  3. Reinhard Würzner
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  4. Hans Peter Colvin
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  5. Josef Rieder
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Correspondence to Sarah Zehm.

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Zehm, S., Schweinitz, S., Würzner, R. et al. Detection of Candida albicans by Mass Spectrometric Fingerprinting. Curr Microbiol 64, 271–275 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-011-0064-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-011-0064-5

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