Enumeration of viable Candida albicans blastospores using tetrabromofluorescein (eosin Y) and flow cytometry

A rapid assay was developed for determination of the viability of blastospores of Candida albicans utilizing flow cytometry to detect the accumulation of tetrabromofluorescein in non-viable yeast cells. Eosin Y was shown to stain non-viable C. albicans blastospores selectively without affecting the cellular viability of competent yeast cells or resulting in non-specific staining of viable cells. Results of these studies show that this flow cytometric method of determining cell viability of C. albicans is more accurate and more precise than the more common method of enumerating colony forming units.