Identification of Candida and Trichosporon species by oxidase and coagulase test.

Candidiasis is one of the most important opportunistic fungal infections, caused by over 20 species of Candida. After the genus Candida, Trichosporon is the most common agent of yeast disseminated infections. In routine laboratory, yeast species are identified on the basis of culture, germ tube production, carbohydrate fermentation and chlamydospore formation. These conventional methods often lack specificity. These are time consuming methods involving microscopic examination that requires considerable skill and experience. Delayed identification leads to delay in empirical therapies of such infections. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the reliability of oxidase and coagulase tests for the rapid identification of Candida and Trichosporon species.