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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Non-albicans Candida (NAC) species are emerging as important opportunistic pathogens. This has significant clinical impact as, NAC species have decreased susceptibility to commonly used antifungal agents. Hence species identification in the Clinical Microbiology laboratory is essential. This study was conducted to assess efficacy of HiCrome agar to reliably identify Candida to the species level. Altogether 48 isolates of Candida were isolated during a period of one year constituting 24 isolates of Candida albicans, 13 of Candida tropicalis, 4 of Candida krusei, 4 of Candida glabrata, 2 of Candida parapsilosis and 1 isolate of Candida guillermondii. Identification was done based on microscopic morphology, germ tube test, growth at 45°C, morphology on corn meal agar and colony colour on HiCrome agar. HiCrome agar accurately identified all species of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. Two isolates of Candida parapsilosis and one isolate of Candida guillermondii was misidentified as Candida glabrata. HiCrome agar can be used as a fairly reliable and time saving alternative to conventional methods with good sensitivity and specificity.