Differentiation of yeast-like fungi using the commercial Auxacolor system

Technical factors preclude the use of conventional fermentation and assimilation procedures for the routine laboratory differentiation of yeast-like fungal isolates. Commercial biochemical differentiation systems are therefore used to remedy this situation. The predictive accuracy of three commercially available differentiation systems was tested using 120 yeast-like fungal isolates. The morphological characteristics of these fungal strains were identical in the case of all three differentiation systems. The fungal isolates were correctly identified in 98.3% of cases with Auxacolor, in 90.8% of cases with API 20C AUX and in 76.7% of cases with the Mycotube system. The advantages and disadvantages of these biochemical differentiation systems are discussed.