Comparison of Candida ID medium with Sabouraud-chloramphenicol agar for the isolation of yeasts from clinical haematology surveillance specimens

• Published in: Journal of medical microbiology Vol. 51; no. 3; pp. 221 - 224
• Main Authors: OLVER, W.J, STAFFORD, J, CHEETHAM, P, BOSWELL, T.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.03.2002; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Agar; Biological and medical sciences; Candida albicans; Candida tropicalis; Chloramphenicol; Chromogenic Compounds; Culture Media; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hospital Units; Humans; Microbiology; Mycological Typing Techniques - methods; Mycoses - diagnosis; Population Surveillance; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors; United Kingdom; Yeasts - classification; Yeasts - growth & development; Yeasts - isolation & purification; Fungi; Infection; Candidiasis; Yeast; Mycosis; Candida; Chloramphenicol; Fungi Imperfecti; Clinical isolate; Thallophyta
• DOI: 10.1099/0022-1317-51-3-221
• ISSN: 0022-2615

Department of Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, City Hospital, Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1PB Corresponding author: Dr W. J. Olver (e-mail: mrzwo@ gwmail.nottingham.ac.uk). Received 29 May 2001; revised version accepted 4 Sept. 2001. Abstract Candida ID is a new chromogenic medium for the identification of yeasts from clinical specimens. C. albicans produces blue pigmentation, whereas pink pigmentation is produced by C. tropicalis , C. lusitaniae , C. guilliermondii and C. kefyr ; other Candida species appear white. In this study, 240 clinical samples (throat swabs and stool samples) from haematology patients were inoculated on to Candida ID and Sabouraud-chloramphenicol agar in parallel, yielding a total of 105 yeasts; the media had overall detection rates of 85.7% and 86.7% respectively. The sensitivity of Candida ID for identification of C. albicans by blue pigmentation was 52.9% at 24 h and 94.1% at 48 h. Specificity of the blue pigmentation was 100% at 48 h. Two strains of C. tropicalis were identified, one produced pink pigmentation at 72 h, the other strain did not produce any pigmentation after 5 days. Candida ID was superior in detecting mixtures of yeasts compared with Sabouraud-chloramphenicol agar. Candida ID is a suitable primary isolation medium for yeasts from clinical specimens, providing rapid direct identification of C. albicans and enhanced detection of mixtures.