The aim of the present study is to ascertain esterase activities of various species of Candida. A total of 125 strains isolated and identified by conventional methods were tested for esterase activity using the Tween 80 opacity test. Our results showed that 58 of 59 strains of Candida albicans, all of the Candida tropicalis strains (n = 38) and all of the Candida guilliermondii strains (n = 3) produced positive results, whereas the remaining Candida species did not. The Tween 80 opacity test is a useful method because it is simple, economical and easy to prepare and interpret.
ColemanDCBennettDESullivanDJGallagherPJHenmanMCShanleyDB: Oral Candida in HIV infection and AIDS: new perspectives/new approaches. Crit Rev Microbiol1993; 19: 61–82
2.
FraserVJJanesMDunkelJStorferSMedoffGDunaganWC: Candidemia in a tertiary care hospital: epidemiology, risk factors and predictors of mortality. Clin Infect Dis1992; 15: 415–421
WingardJRMerzWGRinaldiMGJohnsonTRKarpJESaralR: Increase in Candida krusei infection among patients with bone marrow transplantation and neutropenia treated prophylactically with fluconazole. N Engl J Med1991; 325: 1274–1277
5.
BaumgartnerCFreydiereAMGilleY: Direct identification and recognition of yeast species from clinical material by using Albicand ID and CHROM agar Candida plates. J Clin Microbiol1996; 34: 454–456
6.
GhannounMA: Potential role of phospholipase in virulence and fungal pathogenesis. Clin Microbiol Rev2000; 13: 122–143
SlifkinM: Tween 80 opacity test responses of various Candida species. J Clin Microbiol2000; 38: 4626–4628
9.
HazenKC: New and emerging yeast pathogens. Clin Microbiol Rev1995; 8: 462–478
10.
SandvenP: Laboratory identification and sensitivity testing of yeast isolates. Acta Odontol Scand1990; 48: 27–36
11.
SierraG: A simple method for the detection of lipolytic activity of microorganisms and some observations on the influence of the contact between cells and fatty substrates. Antonie Leeuwenhoek1957; 71: 15–22
12.
KonemanEWAllenSDJandaWMSchrechenbergerPCWinnWCJr: Color Atlas and Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology, 5th edn.New York: Lippincott, 1997; pp893–952
13.
SlifkinMCumbieR: Evaluation of the Tween opacity test for the identification of dermatophytes. Med Microbiol Lett1996; 5: 401–407
14.
QadripurSA: The lipolytic activity of dermatophytes. Wien Med Wochenschr1989; 139: 352–353