The improved recovery of Candida albicans from fluid culture media.

This study compares the mean generation time (MGT) and lag period of the growth of Candida albicans in four blood culture media, under a variety of conditions of incubation. The media compared were Bactec 6B, brain-heart infusion, malt extract broth and Sabourauds liquid medium. All four media were incubated under the eight possible permutations of the following conditions: 37 degrees C or 30 degrees C, vented or unvented, unshaken or constantly shaken. Then, using the incubation conditions found to be most favourable, minimum detection times for C. albicans were compared in the four media. The combination of incubation of the cultures at 37 degrees C, venting and constant-shaking, produced the fastest generation time with the minimum lag period. Of the media, Bactec 6B medium had the shortest lag period under these conditions while brain-heart infusion had the lowest MGT overall. Sabourauds liquid medium, which resulted in the most favourable combination of generation time and lag period, proved superior to the other media for the recovery of C. albicans.