RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS BY FLUOROPLATE CANDIDA AGAR

150 clinical isolates of Candida species, Trichosporon species and Pichia anomala as well as 32 yeast, isolated from dairy products were tested in order to evaluate the utilization of a specific fluorogenic substrate in direct detection Of Candida albicans. Detection of N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminidase (NAGase) was performed with fluoroplate candida agar (Merck, Darmstadt, FRG), which contained 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminide (4-MUAG). The API 20C yeast identification system was used as a reference identification method for all isolates. The results of our investigations showed that 99% of C. albicans and all strains of C. stellatoidea examined were NAGase-positive. There were two false positive reactions of four C. tropicalis isolates and one false positive reaction of three Trichosporon beigelii strains.