title: Multicenter evaluation of the new VITEK 2 advanced colorimetric yeast identification card.
abstract: The performance of the new VITEK 2 Advanced Colorimetry yeast identification (YST) card for use with the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, Inc., Hazelwood, MO) was compared to that of the API 20C AUX (API) system (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) in a multicenter evaluation. A total of 12 quality control, 64 challenge, and 623 clinical yeast isolates were used in the study. Comparisons of species identification, platform reliability, and substrate reproducibility were made between YST and API, with API considered the reference standard. Quality control testing to assess system and substrate reproducibility matched expected results >/=95% of the time. The YST card correctly identified 100% of the challenge strains, which covered the species range of the manufacturer's performance claims. Using clinical isolates, the YST card correctly identified 98.5%, with 1.0% of isolates incorrectly identified and 0.5% unidentified. Among clinical isolates, the YST card generated fewer low-discrimination results (18.9%) than did API (30.0%). The time to identification with YST was 18 h, compared to 48 to 72 h with API. The colorimetric YST card used with the VITEK 2 provides a highly automated, objective yeast identification method with excellent performance and reproducibility. We found this system useful for timely and accurate identification of significant yeast species in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Microbiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St., S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA. wengenack.nancy@mayo.edu
authors.forename: D Jane
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Annette W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Fothergill
authors.forename: Davise H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Larone
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Wengenack
mesh_terms: D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D015003:Yeasts / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification