Distinguishing Methicillin-Resistant and Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus Using Volatile Headspace Metabolites

Abstract

This proof-of-concept study used solid-phase microextraction fibers (SPME) to collect headspace vapors from a methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain grown in vitro in liquid growth medium. The collected molecules were separated and identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Preliminary results distinguished these two strains and provide a foundation for a biomarker library that could one day serve as a diagnostic tool for identifying specific bacterial infections.

Keywords: Capacitive sensors, Microorganisms, Blood, Physics, Laboratories, Gas chromatography, Mass spectroscopy, Testing, Filters, In vitro