title: Two new media Pinus halepensis seed agar and blackberry agar for rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast-like fungus that causes life-threatening infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. The formation of brown pigment on many media described in the literature, such as that in Niger seed (Guizotia abyssinica) agar, has been used to identify C. neoformans. The present study compares melanin production by clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans and other medically important yeast on two new media, Pinus halepensis seed (PHS) agar and blackberry (BlaB) agar, and the classic medium Niger seed agar. Results obtained after the culture of 46 strains of C. neoformans, for 4, 24 and 48 h at 37 °C on these three media, showed that at 24 h, 100% of strains were pigmented on BlaB agar, 91.3% on PHS agar but only 34.8% on Niger seed agar. In conclusion, PHS and BlaB agar are two interesting new media for the rapid identification of C. neoformans isolates.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de biologie moléculaire parasitaire et fongique, Faculté de médecine de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mseddi
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sellami
authors.forename: Hayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sellami
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheikhrouhou
authors.forename: Fattouma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Makni
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayadi
mesh_terms: D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D008543:Melanins