Korean J Clin Microbiol.  2006 Oct;9(2):119-124.

Identification of Candida Species by Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

• Lee MK
• Kim HR
• Lee YJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Polymerase chain reacation (PCR)-based methods have been described for rapid detection and identification of Candida spp. Multiplex PCR assay was developed using internal transcribed spacers and topoisomerase II gene for the accurate identification of Candida species.
METHODS
We designed Dual Specificity Oligo (DSO) primers for multiplex PCR. Multiplex PCR was followed by agarose gel electrophoresis to test 8 type strains (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. guilliermondii, C. lusitaniae, C. dubliniensis) and 96 clinical isolates (C. albicans 51 isolates, C. parapsilosis 10 isolates, C. glabrata 10 isolates, C. tropicalis 9 isolates, C. krusei 6 isolates, C. guilliermondii 5 isolates, C. lusitaniae 5 isolates) of Candida spp.
RESULTS
With multiplex PCR using DSO primers, the eight Candida type strains each could be easily differentiated and all 96 clinical isolates were identified as the same species as were identified by the conventional method.
CONCLUSION
Multiplex PCR followed by electrophoresis can be useful for the simple and rapid identification of Candida species in routine laboratories.

Keyword

Candida species identification; Multiplex PCR; Internal transcribed spacers; Topoisomerase II

MeSH Terms

Candida*
DNA Topoisomerases, Type II
Electrophoresis
Electrophoresis, Agar Gel
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction*
Sensitivity and Specificity
DNA Topoisomerases, Type II