Influence of the growth characteristics of Candida albicans on disinfectant testing

In order to standardize antifungal disinfectant testing using Candida albicans as a test organism, the morphology of four type strains of C. albicans DSM 1836, ATCC 10231, CNCM 1180-79 and CBS 562, grown on sixteen different media was determined. The incubation was carried out at 28 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The yeast phase was obtained predominantly on TSA medium with all strains. Mixed phases, i. e. true mycelium and yeast cells, were easily obtained in TSB in shaking flasks for three type strains but not for CBS 562. True mycelium was formed on corn meal media (CMA) for all strains, but the growth was very poor. The morphology of the growth was determined more by the type of strain than by the nutritive medium. Therefore C. albicans ATCC 10231 grown on either TSA or CMA was used as a test organism. Its resistance was determined towards four disinfectant standards: benzalkonium chloride, mercuric chloride, phenol and o-phenylphenol. No difference in sensitivity was found for the former disinfectant, but yeast cells grown on TSA were more resistant than C. albicans cultures on CMA in case of mercuric chloride, phenol and o-phenylphenol.