DESCRIPTIONS OF MEDICAL FUNGI

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Descriptions of Medical Fungi
Candida glabrata complex
Recently Candida glabrata has been recognised as a species complex consisting of C.
glabrata, C. bracarensis (Correia et al. 2006) and C. nivariensis (Alcoba-Flórez et al.
2005). These three species are phenotypically indistinguishable and are best identified
by molecular methods. C. bracarensis was described based on PCR-fingerprints and
sequence divergence in the D1/D2 domains (Correia et al. 2006). C. nivariensis was
differentiated from other yeasts on the basis of ITS sequences (Borman et al. 2008).
Candida bracarensis Correia, P. Sampaio, James & Pais
RG-2 organism.
Culture: Colonies (SDA) white to cream-coloured smooth, glabrous, yeast-like.
Microscopy: Ellipsoidal budding blastoconidia, 3.9-6 x 2-4 µm in size. No pseudohyphae
or chlamydospores produced.
India Ink Preparation: Negative - no capsules present.
Dalmau Plate Culture: No pseudohyphae produced.
Physiological Tests: + Positive, - Negative, v Variable, w Weak, s Slow
Germ Tube - L-Sorbose - L-Arabinose - D-Glucitol -
Fermentation Sucrose - D-Arabinose - α-M-D-glucoside -
Glucose + Maltose - D-Ribose - D-Gluconate +
Galactose - Cellobiose - L-Rhamnose - DL-Lactate -
Sucrose - Trehalose + D-Glucosamine - myo-Inositol -
Maltose - Lactose - N-A-D-glucosamine - 2-K-D-gluconate -
Lactose - Melibiose - Glycerol v D-Glucuronate -
Trehalose s Raffinose - Erythritol - Nitrate -
Assimilation Melezitose - Ribitol - Urease -
Glucose + Soluble Starch - Galactitol - 0.1% Cycloheximide -
Galactose - D-Xylose - D-Mannitol - Growth at 40 O C +
Key Features: C. bracarensis has variable API 20C patterns that overlap with C.
nivariensis and some C. glabrata isolates, and has variable results with a rapid trehalose
assay. Note: C. glabrata produces mauve-coloured colonies on CHROMagar, whereas
isolates of C. bracarensis, C. nivariensis, C. norvegensis and C. inconspicua produce
white colonies on CHROMagar (Alcoba-Flórez et al. 2005, Bishop et al. 2008).
Antifungal Susceptibility: C. bracarensis limited data (Australian National data);
MIC µg/mL.
No 64
AmB 3 1 1 1
FLU 3 2 1
VORI 3 2 1
POSA 3 2 1
ITRA 3 2 1
ANID 3 1 2
MICA 3 1 2
CAS 3 2 1
5FC 3 1 1 1