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Two new media Pinus halepensis seed agar and blackberry agar for rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans
Author(s) -
Mseddi Fatma,
Sellami Amira,
Sellami Hayet,
Cheikhrouhou Fatma,
Makni Fattouma,
Ayadi Ali
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
mycoses
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.13
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1439-0507
pISSN - 0933-7407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2010.01877.x
Subject(s) - agar , cryptococcus neoformans , biology , agar plate , cryptococcus , potato dextrose agar , fungus , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , yeast , yeast extract , food science , bacteria , fermentation , biochemistry , genetics
Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast‐like fungus that causes life‐threatening infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. The formation of brown pigment on many media described in the literature, such as that in Niger seed ( Guizotia abyssinica ) agar, has been used to identify C. neoformans . The present study compares melanin production by clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans and other medically important yeast on two new media, Pinus halepensis seed (PHS) agar and blackberry (BlaB) agar, and the classic medium Niger seed agar. Results obtained after the culture of 46 strains of C. neoformans , for 4, 24 and 48 h at 37 °C on these three media, showed that at 24 h, 100% of strains were pigmented on BlaB agar, 91.3% on PHS agar but only 34.8% on Niger seed agar. In conclusion, PHS and BlaB agar are two interesting new media for the rapid identification of C. neoformans isolates.