Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for human infectious disease diagnosis, microbial identification and strain discrimination: a systematic review (2015-2025).
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol SpectroscJun 8, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchInfectious Diseases
Gabriela Kaufmann, Ana Paula Boaro, Alânis Goergen et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for diagnosing human infectious diseases, analyzing 50 studies published from 2015 to 2025. The findings indicate that FTIR is a promising tool for microbial identification and strain discrimination, particularly when combined with chemometric modeling. Most studies focused on bacteria and fungi.
Key findings
- FTIR demonstrated strong potential for microbial identification in 58% of studies reviewed.
- 42% of studies focused on bacteria, while 32% addressed fungi.
- Chemometric analysis was crucial, integrating methods like PCA and LDA for enhanced FTIR applications.
- Only 14% of studies aimed at diagnosis, with 28% focusing on discrimination without predictive models.
Why it matters
The review highlights FTIR's potential as a rapid diagnostic tool for infectious diseases, which is critical in addressing public health challenges like antimicrobial resistance and emerging pathogens.