[Rapid identification of Candida albicans: evaluation of "Rapidec albicans". Study of 444 yeast strains].
Rapid identification of Candida albicans is of great importance as it is the most frequently isolated yeast pathogen. Rapidec albicans, a new 2-h micromethod, performs two fluorescent enzymatic activities: hexosaminidase and proline arylamidase. A total of 444 yeast strains (334 from type culture collections and 110 from recent clinical isolates) were tested. The sensitivity was 98.5% and the specificity 95.8%. When only considering the clinical strains, 47/47 Candida albicans were identified by Rapidec albicans (sensitivity 100%) but only 43/47 by the germ tube test (sensitivity 91.5%). The specificities of the two tests were respectively 98.2% and 100%. This new system is therefore very efficient for the routine diagnosis of Candida albicans in the clinical field. It is easier and quicker than the germ tube test.
Fricker
H
H
Département de parasitologie, mycologie médicale et moléculaire (DP3M), université J-Fourier-Grenoble I, URA CNRS 1344, CHU A-Michallon, France.
Monget
D
D
Lebeau
B
B
Babolat
M
M
Ambroise-Thomas
P
P
Grillot
R
R
D002176:Candida albicans / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Identification rapide de Candida albicans: évaluation de "Rapidec albicans". Etude de 444 souches de levures.