Efficacy of phenotypic, PCR and MALDI -ToF identification methods for Campylobacter spp.

Abstract

This study compared phenotypic and genotypic identification methods of Campylobacter spp. against the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value and negative-predictive value. Thermophilic Campylobacter isolates were identified using conventional biochemical tests, specifically hippurate hydrolysis, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization- time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry and PCR with primers unique to C. jejuni and C. coli. MALDI-ToF was shown to be superior to biochemical tests for identification of C. coli but equivalent to biochemical tests for C. jejuni.