CHROMOGENIC CANDIDA DIFFERENTIAL AGAR BASE

Description

Perry and Miller reported that Candida albicans produces an enzyme b -N-acetyl- galactosaminidase and according to Rousselle et al incorporation of chromogenic or fluorogenic hexosaminidase substrates into the growth medium helps in identification of C.albicans isolates directly on primary isolation. Chromogenic Candida Differential Agar Base incorporates two chromogenes X-NAG which detects the activity of hexosaminidase and BCIP which detects phosphatase activity. Chromogenic Candida Differential Agar Base is a selective and differential medium, which facilitates rapid isolation of yeasts from mixed cultures and allows differentiation of Candida species namely C.albicans, C.krusei, C.tropicalis and C.glabrata on the basis of colouration and colony morphology. On this medium results are obtained within 48 hours and it is useful for the rapid and presumptive identification of common yeasts in Mycology and Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.