New method for detection of Candida albicans in human blood by polymerase chain reaction

We developed a new method for detection of Candida albicans cells in human blood by the polymerase chain reaction that amplifies a 125-bp region within a species-specific, multiple-copy DNA fragment. In preparing template DNA from C. albicans-containing blood, the addition of C. tropicalis cells, together with antibody which reacts with both cells, raised the sensitivity of detection of C. albicans to about 3 cells per 0.1 ml.