This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maccani, J E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maccani, J E

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1981 May; 13(5): 828-832

Rapid presumptive identification of Cryptococcus neoformans by staphylococcal coagglutination.

ABSTRACT

A coagglutination reagent was prepared by sensitizing the Cowan I strain of Staphylococcus aureus with rabbit immune globulin directed against Cryptococcus neofromans A15 and absorbed with C. laurentii. This reagent was evaluated for its usefulness in differentiating C. neoformans from other yeast colonies rapidly. Antigen-containing extracts were prepared form Sabouraud dextrose agar cultures of 48 C. neoformans, 33 other Cryptococcus species, 21 Candida, 4 Torulopsis, 3 Saccharomyces, and 2 Rhodotorula strains. This was done by suspending a 0.001-ml loopful of colony growth in 0.5 ml of phenolized saline, mixing for 30 s, and then centrifuging. Equal volumes (50 microliters) of coagglutination reagent and yeast extract were mixed within marked circles on a glass slide and then mechanically rotated at 180 rpm for 8 min. Forty-five of the 48 strains of C. neoformans produced strong (3+ to 4+) agglutination, and 3 strains of serotype C produced weak (1+ to 2+) agglutination with the reagent. Other Cryptococcus species which reacted positively were 4 C. albidus subsp. diffluens, 7 C. albidus subsp. albidus, and 2 C. terreus strains; however, false-positive errors in identification were circumvented by performing a supplemental rapid test for nitrate utilization which differentiated these yeasts from C. neoformans. None of the other yeasts tested (including 14 C. laurentii, 2 C. luteolus, and 2 C. uniguttulatus strains) produced any degree of agglutination with the reagent. A commercial cryptococcal latex agglutination reagent (Crypto-Test, Microbiological Associates, Walkersville, Md.) proved less reliable for identifying C. neoformans yeast colonies because of cross-reactions which occurred with all other species of Cryptococcus tested.