The value of MALDI-TOF failure to provide an identification of Staphylococcal species direct from blood cultures and rule out Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: a post-hoc analysis of the RAPIDO trial.

Presumed staphylococci that fail direct MALDI-TOF identification from blood culture are significantly more likely to be CoNS isolates than SA. In low-risk or low-prevalence settings, SA therapy can be withheld if MALDI-TOF is unsuccessful.