Mycobacterium abscessus Complex Identification with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

We determined that the Vitek MS Plus matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry using research-use-only (RUO) v.4.12 and in vitro-diagnostic (IVD) v.3.0 databases accurately identified 41 Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus and 13 M. abscessus subsp. massiliense isolates identified by whole-genome sequencing to the species but not the subspecies level, from Middlebrook 7H11 and Burkholderia cepacia selective agars. Peak analysis revealed three peaks potentially able to differentiate between subspecies.