Identifying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lung infections in mice via breath analysis using secondary electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SESI-MS)

Heather D. Bean, Jiangjiang Zhu, Jackson C. Sengle, Jane E. Hill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a serious health threat, causing an estimated 11 000 deaths per year in the United States. MRSA pneumonias account for 16% of invasive infections, and can be difficult to detect as the current state-of-the-art diagnostics require that bacterial DNA is recovered from the infection site. Because 60% of patients with invasive infections die within 7 d of culturing positive for MRSA, earlier detection of the pathogen may significantly reduce mortality. We aim to develop breath-based diagnostics that can detect Staphylococcal lung infections rapidly and non-invasively, and discriminate MRSA and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), in situ. Using a murine lung infection model, we have demonstrated that secondary electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SESI-MS) breathprinting can be used to robustly identify isogenic strains of MRSA and MSSA in the lung 24 h after bacterial inoculation. Principal components analysis (PCA) separates MRSA and MSSA breathprints using only the first component (p<0.001). The predominant separation in the PCA is driven by shared peaks, low-abundance peaks, and rare peaks, supporting the use of biomarker panels to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of breath-based diagnostics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number041001
JournalJournal of Breath Research
Volume8
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • MRSA
  • SESI-MS
  • breath
  • diagnostics
  • lung infections

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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