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J Clin Pathol 2003;56:687-689 doi:10.1136/jcp.56.9.687
  • Original article

Routine use of a one minute trehalase and maltase test for the identification of Candida glabrata in four laboratories

  1. M A Piens1,
  2. J D Perry2,
  3. H Raberin3,
  4. F Parant4,
  5. A M Freydiére4
  1. 1Laboratoire de Parasitologie Mycologie Médicale, 69373 Lyon, France
  2. 2Microbiology Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7DN, UK
  3. 3Laboratoire de Parasitologie Mycologie, Hôpital Nord, 42055 St Etienne, France
  4. 4Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital Debrousse, 69322 Lyon, France
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr A-M Freydiére, Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital Debrousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 29 Rue Sœur Bouvier, 69322 Lyon cedex 05, France;
 anne-marie.freydiere{at}chu-lyon.fr
  • Accepted 2 May 2003

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the rapid identification of Candida glabrata using a one minute trehalase and maltase test in four clinical laboratories.

Method: The test was evaluated with 944 freshly isolated yeasts comprising 572 C glabrata and 372 non-C glabrata strains. These strains were isolated on one of three differential media—Candida ID, CHROMagar Candida, or Albicans ID2 medium—and all strains were fully identified using standard methods.

Results: The trehalase and maltase test allowed the overall identification of 550 of 572 C glabrata strains (sensitivity, 96.2%) and only 11 of 372 isolates of other yeast species yielded a false positive result (specificity, 96.8 %). Sensitivity and specificity were consistent from one laboratory to another. Using Candida ID medium, the rapid trehalase and maltase test showed a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 96.2%. Using CHROMagar Candida, sensitivity and specificity were 95.6% and 98.1%, respectively. Using Albicans ID2 medium (tested by two laboratories), the sensitivity was 100% and 98.5% and specificity was 98.1% and 98.2%. In 60% of cases, the test could be performed directly from the primary isolation medium, thus reducing the time for identification.

Conclusion: The rapid trehalase and maltase test was highly reliable for the presumptive identification of C glabrata on primary isolation using three different chromogenic media. Direct recognition of C albicans by means of their characteristic colour on chromogenic media coupled with one minute trehalase maltase testing performed only on suspect colonies of C glabrata allowed for rapid presumptive identification of the two yeast species most commonly encountered in clinical samples.

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