Long-term laboratory preservation of pathogenic yeasts in water.

A total of 1583 yeast isolates, mostly Candida albicans, has been maintained under sterile distilled water for periods ranging from 1 to 18 years. Overall, 71 (4.5%) of the isolates were not recoverable at 37 degrees C. Survival of the yeasts was 97% in the first 5 years and 96% after 10 years. Isolates of Candida krusei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were particularly unlikely to survive storage in water and these species should be preserved by other means if they are to be kept for more than a few years. All of the Candida guilliermondii (n = 19) and Candida parapsilosis isolates (n = 51) survived water storage. The water preservation method is inexpensive and simple and is recommended for maintenance of most yeasts isolated from clinical material.