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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2005, p. 1210-1212, Vol. 43, No. 3
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.3.1210-1212.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

CHROMagar Candida as the Sole Primary Medium for Isolation of Yeasts and as a Source Medium for the Rapid-Assimilation-of-Trehalose Test

Melissa P. Murray, Riva Zinchuk, and Davise H. Larone^*

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York

Received 11 August 2004/ Returned for modification 20 September 2004/ Accepted 18 November 2004

The chromogenic medium BBL CHROMagar Candida (CAC) was evaluated as a sole primary medium for the isolation of yeasts from clinical specimens in which yeasts are the primary concern. Additionally, the reliability of the rapid-assimilation-of-trehalose (RAT) test in yielding correct results with isolates taken from CAC was assessed. A total of 270 throat, urine, and genital (TUG) specimens were streaked onto CAC, Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), inhibitory mold agar (IMA), and Mycosel (MYC). A total of 69 blood culture broths that were smear positive for yeast were streaked onto CAC and SDA. A 1-h RAT test (NCCLS M35-A) was performed simultaneously on isolates from CAC and SDA. A total of 112 TUG specimens yielded yeast colonies (CAC, 111 colonies; IMA, 105; SDA, 103; MYC, 91). The 69 blood culture yeasts grew on both CAC and SDA. Mixed cultures of yeasts were detected on 11 CAC plates but were unrecognized on other media. Colonies suspected of being C. glabrata on 32 CAC plates were all RAT test positive and confirmed to be C. glabrata; of 59 colonies with various characteristics of color and morphology on CAC, none were RAT positive, and all were conventionally identified as yeasts other than C. glabrata (sensitivity and specificity, 100%). The same isolates from SDA tested for RAT produced six false negatives and no false positives (sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 100%). The results show that CAC can be used as the sole primary medium for recovery of yeasts from clinical specimens. Additionally, isolates grown on CAC yield excellent results with the RAT test utilized in this study.

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* Corresponding author: Mailing address: Weill Cornell Medical Center, Clinical Microbiology—Starr 737, 525 East 68th St., New York, NY 10021. Phone: (212) 746-2405. Fax: (212) 746-8945. E-mail: dhlarone{at}med.cornell.edu.

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2005, p. 1210-1212, Vol. 43, No. 3
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.3.1210-1212.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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