Tube carbohydrate assimilation method for the rapid indentification of clinically significant yeasts

Yeasts have gained greater recognition in the past several years as being the cause of significant infections. We modified and evaluated a carbohydrate assimilation test to identify yeast isolates rapidly and accurately. The 192 clinical isolates used in this study included 20 species of the genera Candida, Cryptoccoccus, Saccharomyces, Torulopsis, Trichosporon, Rhodotorula, and Geotrichum. The method achieved 95% agreement with standard Wickerham assimilation results, and 97% of the isolates were correctly identified with the aid of a few auxilliary tests. The method is rapid, reliable, and versatile in its use.