ArticleBMC bioinformatics2025
Automated web-based typing of Clostridioides difficile ribotypes via MALDI-TOF MS.
Article in BMC bioinformatics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A systematic review of machine learning on clinical MALDI-TOF MS.Briefings in bioinformatics · 2026Pooled it
- Pan-genomic analysis of the multi-drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.World journal of microbiology & biotechnology · 2026Article
- MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry combined with machine learning algorithms to identify protein profiles related to malaria infection in human sera from Côte d'Ivoire.Malaria journal · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundClostridioides difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and a driver of nosocomial outbreaks, yet rapid, accurate ribotype identification remains challenging. We sought to develop a MALDI-TOF MS-based workflow coupled with machine learning to distinguish epidemic toxigenic ribotypes (RT027 and RT181) from other strains in real time.
resultsWe analyzed MALDI-TOF spectra from 379 clinical isolates collected across ten Spanish hospitals and identified seven discriminant biomarker peaks. Two peaks (2463 and 4993 m/z) were uniquely associated with RT027, while combinations of five additional peaks reliably identified RT181. Our classifiers-implemented both in the commercial Clover MSDAS platform and the open-access AutoCdiff web tool-achieved up to 100% balanced accuracy in ribotype assignment and proved robust in real-time outbreak simulations.
conclusionsThis study demonstrates that MALDI-TOF MS combined with tailored machine learning can deliver rapid, high-precision ribotype identification for C. difficile. The freely available AutoCdiff models ( https://bacteria.id ) offer an immediately deployable solution for clinical laboratories, with the potential to enhance outbreak surveillance and control.
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Registered trials
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