Comparison of Meltpro Myco Assay with MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for rapid and accurate detection of clinical Mycobacterium Species.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the MeltPro Myco assay with that of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for detecting nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTMs) from clinical isolates and samples.

Method: A total of 308 suspected NTM isolates from sputum or BALF samples of patients with pulmonary diseases were retrospectively analyzed. DNA sequencing was used as the gold standard method. An additional 164 clinical samples from patients with pulmonary diseases were used to assess the suitability of the MeltPro Myco assay for clinical use.

Result: The results indicated that for NTM identification, the MeltPro Myco assay and MALDI-TOF had sensitivities of 99.3% and 97.2% and specificities of 90.9% and 100%.The MeltPro Myco assay achievies a sensitivity and specificity of 79.4% and 95.2% for the detection of NTM in clinical samples.

Conclusion: Given its rapidity, straightforward operation, high accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and good reproducibility, the MeltPro Myco assay can be a valuable tool for timely screening of lung disease caused by NTM and has the potential to improve the diagnosis and prevention of NTM pulmonary disease in highly endemic areas.