ABSTRACT
During MS analysis of the microbial world, huge amounts of data are acquired; therefore, specic algorithms are required to analyze, summarize, and interpret them. In this chapter, commonly used computational methods and algorithms, which are suitable for mining mass spectral data and aim for inferring the presence of the taxonomic position and identity of microbial agents, are reviewed. These algorithms are usually implemented in the form of diverse software tools, which are available commercially or were developed by research groups involved in the MS-based detection and identication of infectious agents. Some of the tools such as ABOid™ can provide detection, identication, and classication results for all three classes of microbes (fungi, bacteria, and viruses) from single MS les.
