Sensitive Detection of Salmonella Susceptibility to Ceftriaxone and Azithromycin Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

  • Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2026 May 30;40(10):e70053. doi: 10.1002/rcm.70053.
Guohao Zhan  1  2 ,  Shujin Xie  2  3 ,  Jinyu Zhang  4 ,  Jingyi Liang  4 ,  Xiaojun Huang  2  3 ,  Shuang Zhang  1  2 ,  Fei Lv  1  2 ,  Zhusheng Guo  2  3
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Clinical Laboratory, DongGuan SongShan Lake Tungwah Hospital, Dongguan, Guangdong, China.
  • 2. Dongguan Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Dongguan, Guangdong, China.
  • 3. Department of Clinical Laboratory, DongGuan Tungwah Hospital, Dongguan, Guangdong, China.
  • 4. School of Medical Technology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China.
PMID: 41704149 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.70053
Abstract

Background: The rising incidence of Salmonella-induced diarrhea highlights the critical need for judicious Antibiotic use to ensure effective treatment outcomes.

Methods: This study presents an innovative methodology for evaluating the susceptibility of Salmonella to ceftriaxone and azithromycin through the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Results: The proposed method requires only 2-3 individual Salmonella colonies and yields results within approximately 1 hour, assessing susceptibility to ceftriaxone (70 mg/L) and azithromycin (25 mg/L). In comparison to the Kirby-Bauer method, this technique exhibits a sensitivity of 98.64% and a specificity of 84.38%.

Conclusions: The method developed in this study is both straightforward and user-friendly, making it suitable for deployment in major laboratories equipped with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It offers a preliminary assessment of Salmonella susceptibility to ceftriaxone and azithromycin, thereby enhancing the accuracy of clinical interventions for Salmonella infections.

Keywords
Salmonella; azithromycin; ceftriaxone; matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry.
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