• Si Hyun Kim, Jeong Hwan Shin, Jeong Ha Mok, Shine Young Kim, Sae Am Song, Hye Ran Kim, Joong-Ki Kook, Young-Hyo Chang, Il Kwon Bae, and Kwangha Lee.
• Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 614-735, Republic of Korea ; Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 614-735, Republic of Korea.
• Biomed Res Int. 2014 Jan 1; 2014: 250408.

AbstractIntroduction. The aim of this study was to differentiate between Candida famata and Candida guilliermondii correctly by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and gene sequencing. Methods. Twenty-eight Candida strains from blood cultures that had been identified as C. famata (N = 25), C. famata/C. guilliermondii (N = 2), and C. guilliermondii (N = 1) by the VITEK 2 system using the YST ID card were included. We identified these strains by MALDI-TOF MS and gene sequencing using the 28S rRNA and ITS genes and compared the results with those obtained by the VITEK 2 system. Results. All 28 isolates were finally identified as C. guilliermondii. Sequencing analysis of the 28S rRNA gene showed 99.80%-100% similarity with C. guilliermondii for all 28 strains. The ITS gene sequencing of the strains showed 98.34%-100% homology with C. guilliermondii. By MALDI-TOF, we could correctly identify 21 (75%) of 28 C. guilliermondii isolates. Conclusion. We should suspect misidentification when C. famata is reported by the VITEK 2 system, and we always should keep in mind the possibility of misidentification of any organism when an uncommon species is reported.

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