title: Evaluation of a rapid immunochromatographic assay for identification of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis.
abstract: Candida dubliniensis was first established as a novel yeast species in 1995. It is particularly associated with recurrent episodes of oral candidosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, but it has also been detected at other anatomical sites and at a low incidence level in non-HIV-infected patients. It shares so many phenotypic characteristics with C. albicans that it is easily misidentified as such. No rapid, simple, and commercial test that allows differentiation between C. dubliniensis and C. albicans has been developed, until now. Accurate species identification requires the use of genotype-based techniques that are not routinely available in most clinical microbiology diagnostic laboratories. The present study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of a new test (the immunochromatographic membrane [ICM] albi-dubli test; SR2B, Avrille, France) to differentiate between C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. The organisms evaluated were strains whose identities had previously been confirmed by PCR tests and freshly isolated clinical strains and included 58 C. albicans isolates, 60 C. dubliniensis isolates, and 82 isolates belonging to other species of yeast. The ICM albi-dubli test is based on the principle of immunochromatographic analysis and involves the use of two distinct monoclonal antibodies that recognize two unrelated epitopes expressed by both species or specific to only one species. The assay requires no complex instrumentation for analysis and can be recommended for routine use in clinical microbiology laboratories. Results are obtained within 2 h and 30 min and are easy to interpret. This evaluation demonstrated the good performance of this immunochromatographic test for C. albicans and C. dubliniensis isolated on Sabouraud dextrose agar, CHOROMagar Candida, and CandidaSelect, with sensitivities and specificities ranging from 93.1 to 100%. These parameters decreased, however, to 91.4% when the test was performed with yeast isolated with Candida ID.
authors.affiliation: Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, UPRES EA 3142, UFR de Sciences Pharmaceutiques et d'Ingénierie de la Santé, Angers, France. agnes.marot@univ-angers.fr
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marot-Leblond
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grimaud
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Derek J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ponton
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000032:analysis*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology*; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic