Gas-Liquid Chromatography: A Rapid Method for Identification of Different Species ofCandida

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Abstract
Cellular fatty acids of 85 strains of Candida, representing seven species, were extracted from yeast cells by saponification and analyzed as methyl esters by use of gas-liquid chromatography. Very few or no differences were observed among the chromatograms of different species grown on media containing glucose, maltose or sucrose. By contrast, when the seven species were grown on lactose medium only, each produced a distinctive fatty-acid “fingerprint” characterized by the presence or absence of certain fatty-acids peaks on the chromatogram. With this new method, it was possible to identify Candida species within 3 h after they were obtained from subcultures of Candida grown for 24–72 h on lactose medium, as compared with 7–10 da for more conventional procedures. The sensitivity and speed of gas-liquid chromatography make it an attractive alternative to standard laboratory tests for identification of Candida species.