Update on the Evolving Role of MALDI-TOF MS for Laboratory Diagnosis of Fungal Infections

MALDI-TOF MS is a recent technique, which revolutionized bacterial species identifications, due to its simplicity, accuracy and speed of analysis. The same efficiency of species identification for fungi is highly sought. This review aims to discuss the evolving role of MALDI-TOF MS in the laboratory diagnosis of fungal infections. Yeast identifications are increasingly being performed with MALDI-TOF MS in a routine setting with good results. A further extension of the libraries will further increase its potential. Direct identification of yeast in blood cultures and MALDI-TOF MS susceptibility testing are new promising applications. The identification of filamentous fungi on MALDI-TOF MS is still challenging, but knowledge and experience is taking huge leaps forward.