Mycology Online The University of Adelaide Australia
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School of Molecular & Biomedical Science
THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
AUSTRALIA 5005

Contact:
Dr David Ellis

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Candida

The genus Candida is characterized by globose to elongate yeast-like cells or blastoconidia that reproduce by multilateral budding.  Most Candida species are also characterized by the presence of well developed pseudohyphae, however this characteristic may be absent, especially in those species formally included in the genus Torulopsis.  Arthroconidia, ballistoconidia and colony pigmentation are always absent.  Within the genus Candida, fermentation, nitrate assimilation and inositol assimilation may be present or absent, however, all inositol positive strains produce pseudohyphae.

CHROMagar Candida plate showing chromogenic colour change for
C C. albicans (green), C. tropicalis (blue), C. parapsilosis (white) and C. glabrata (pink).

Descriptions for the following are available:

Candida albicans
Candida colliculosa
Candida dubliniensis
Candida fabianii
Candida famata
Candida glabrata
Candida guilliermondii
Candida haemulonii
Candida inconspicua
Candida keyfyr
Candida krusei
Candida lipolytica
Candida lusitaniae
Candida norvegensis
Candida parapsilosis
Candida pelliculosa
Candida rugosa
Candida tropicalis
Candida viswanathii

Species distribution from 944 patients with candidemia
(Australian Candidemia Study 2002-2004)

Species
No
%
C. albicans
447
47.3
C. parapsilosis
182
19.3
C. glabrata
167
17.8
C. krusei
46
4.9
C. tropicalis
46
4.9
C. dubliniensis
22
2.3
C. guilliermondii
11
1.2
C. lusitaniae
8
0.8
C. kefyr
5
0.5
C. pelliculosa
3
0.3
C. rugosa
2
0.2
C. colliculosa
1
0.1
C. famata
1
0.1
C. inconspicua
1
0.1
C. lipolytica
1
0.1
C. fabianii
1
0.1