Evaluation of the Auxacolor system for the identification of clinical yeast isolates

In the last decade the number of systemic yeast infections has increased significantly. Although Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated yeast from clinical specimens, the emergence of non-albicans species has clearly been a recent concern. As a consequence, there is a greater need for rapid and accurate methods for yeast identification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the AUXACOLOR system (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur) for the identification of clinically relevant yeasts, as compared with the conventional method. Yeast isolates (n = 97) belonging to 12 species were identified by the commercial system and the classic method. Correct identifications were obtained by using AUXACOLOR system in 79.4% of the isolates tested. Misidentification occurred in 5.2% of the strains and 15.5% were not identified due to a failure in the manufacturer's data base. In order to improve its accuracy, there is a need for expanding the database or revamping the tests included in the system. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.