ARS | Publication request: RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDA ALBICANS DIRECTLY FROM YEAST POSITIVE BLOOD CULTURE BOTTLES BY FLUORESCENCE IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION USING PNA PROBES

Submitted to: American Society for Microbiology
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: May 23, 2002
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: A new fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes for identification of Candida albicans directly from yeast-positive blood culture bottles is described. The test (C. albicans PNA FISH) is based on a fluorescein-labeled PNA probe targeting C. albicans 26S rRNA. The PNA probe is added to smears fixed onto microscope slides and hybridized for 90 min at 55 degrees C. Unhybridized PNA probe is removed by washing and the smears are examined by fluorescence microscopy. The specificity was confirmed using 23 reference strains representing phylogenetically related yeast species and 148 clinical isolates covering the clinically most significant yeast species, includine C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis. The performance of C. albicans PNA FISH as a diagnostic test was evaluated using 33 yeast-positive blood culture bottles as compared to results obtained by the standard methods and showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. It is concluded that this 2.5-hour method for definitive identification of C. albicans directly from yeast-positive blood culture bottles provides important information for optimal antifungal therapy and patient management.