ABSTRACT
Objective To study the laboratory features of Stephanoascus ciferrii isolated from middle ear excretion of the patients with chronic suppurative otitis media for providing the basis of diagnosis for the rare fungus infection.Methods The study was performed for 12 patients who were suffered from chronic suppurative otitis media associated with Stephanoascus ciferrii.The secretions of middle ear were cultured and the macroscopic features of colony and cells of the fungi were observed.The species of the fungi was identified by Vitek 2 Compact system.Results Stephanoascus ciferrii may grow on common media such as blood plate,chocolate plate and sabourauad plate,at 28 to 35 ℃.The form of the colonies displayed cream-colored,rough,hard and wrinkled quality after 1 week incubation.On CHROMagar medium the colonies looked like small mushroom with blue center and white edge.Under microscopy,abundant branched septate mycelium with small ramified chains of oval blastoconidia and the conidia were arranged along the side of hyphae.The fungi strain may assimilate lots of carbohydrates and common amino acid.Vitek 2 Compact automated system should be able to identify Stephanoascus ciferrii.Conclusion Stephanoascus ciferrii is a rare opportunistic pathogenic fungus.In clinical laboratories special attentions should be paid to culture and identification of the fungus from middle ear excretion.
ABSTRACT
Ear infections in cats are uncommon, especially involving yeasts. This report describes the first isolation of the Stephanoascus ciferrii, teleomorph of the Candida genus, in a case of feline otitis in Brazil. The identification and characterization of Stephanoascus ciferrii were confirmed by the Vitek2 System (BioMerieux ®).