Detection of volatile compounds produced by microbial growth in urine by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS)

Selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry has been used to measure the volatile compounds occurring in the headspace of urine samples inoculated with common urinary tract infection (UTI)-causing microbes Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, or Candida albicans. This technique has the potential to offer rapid and simple diagnosis of the causative agent of UTIs. ► Common urinary tract infection causing microbes were cultured in urine. ► Volatile compounds in the headspace of urine samples were quantified. ► The use of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry for this analysis is described. ► The quantity of volatile compounds detected depends on the infecting agent. ► Discriminate-partial least squares analysis can distinguish between infecting agents.