Open AccessBackground: The germ tube production in serum is a rapid method for identification of Candida. Because of the time required to prepare human serum and inherent safety problems concerned with its use, many laboratories have started using non human serum germ tube media. The objective of this study was to evaluate different media for germ tube production of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis
Material and Methods: 132 C. albicans and 30 C. dubliniensis isolates were tested for germ tube production in various media like horse serum, pooled human serum, human plasma, trypticase soy broth, egg white and peptone water.
Results: Out of 132 C. albicans, germ tube production was seen in 130 isolates in trypticase soy broth, 124 isolates produced germ tube in pooled human serum and horse serum. In case of C. dubliniensis (n=30), of isolates produced germ tube in trypticase soy broth and pooled human serum. In horse serum 26 isolates showed germ tube test positive
Conclusion: Our study shows that trypticase soy broth is the best medium for testing germ tube production of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. It is more stable, effective, less expensive and safe than other media.