DESCRIPTIONS OF MEDICAL FUNGI

Descriptions of Medical Fungi 43
Candida haemulonii complex
Candida haemulonii has recently been reclassified as a complex of three phenotypically
identical but genotypically distinct entities: C. haemulonii, C. duobushaemulonii and C.
haemulonii var. vulnera, based on ITS and D1/D2 sequencing. (Cendejas-Bueno et al.
2012, Ramos et al. 2015).
Candida haemulonii (van Uden & Kolipinski) Meyer & Yarrow
RG-1 organism.
Culture: Colonies (SDA) white to cream-coloured smooth, glabrous, yeast-like.
Microscopy: Ovoid to globose, budding yeast-like cells or blastoconidia, 2-7 x 2-7 µm.
No pseudohyphae 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 +,w DL-Lactate -
Sucrose + Trehalose + D-Glucosamine +,s myo-Inositol -
Maltose - Lactose - N-A-D-glucosamine + 2-K-D-gluconate +
Lactose - Melibiose - Glycerol +,s D-Glucuronate -
Trehalose +,s Raffinose +,s Erythritol - Nitrate -
Assimilation Melezitose +,w Ribitol +,s Urease -
Glucose + Soluble Starch - Galactitol - 0.1% Cycloheximide -
Galactose +,w D-Xylose - D-Mannitol + Growth at 37 O C -
Key Features: Germ tube negative yeast and sugar assimilation pattern. Molecular
identification may be required. C. haemulonii has been reported from a few cases of
fungaemia but clinical isolations remain rare.
Antifungal Susceptibility: C. haemulonii (data from Cendejas-Bueno et al. 2012,
Ramos et al. 2015 and Australian National data); MIC µg/mL.
No 64
AmB 30 3 10 7 7 1 2
FLU 30 1 3 1 25
VORI 28 1 1 1 1 20 4
POSA 23 1 2 1 1 3 16
ITRA 30 2 1 2 1 24
ANID 21 13 1 3 1 1 2
MICA 21 2 10 3 2 4
CAS 28 1 2 4 6 1 14
5FC 25 2 4 7 6 2 3 1