Candida norvegensis

Synonym: Torulopsis norvegica

On Sabouraud's dextrose agar colonies are white to cream colored, smooth, glabrous and yeast-like in appearance. Microscopic morphology shows numerous ovoid, budding yeast-like cells or blastoconidia, 2.0-3.5 x 3.5-5.0 um in size. No pseudohyphae produced.

India Ink Preparation: Negative - no capsules present.

Dalmau Plate Culture on Cornmeal and Tween 80 Agar: Spherical to ovoid, budding yeast-like cells only. No pseudohyphae produced.

Physiological Tests:

Germ Tube test is Negative
Hydrolysis of Urea is Negative
Growth on Cycloheximide medium is Negative
Growth at 37C is Positive

Fermentation Reactions: Where fermentation means the production of gas and is independent of pH changes.

Positive: Glucose (delayed).
Negative: Sucrose; Lactose; Galactose; Maltose; Trehalose.

Assimilation Tests:

Positive: Glucose; Cellobiose; Citric acid; Succinic acid.
Variable: Soluble Starch.
Negative: Potassium nitrate; Lactose; Ribitol; Galactose; Raffinose; L-Sorbose; Maltose; D-Ribose; Sucrose; Melibiose; Galactitol; Trehalose; Erythritol; D-Mannitol; D-Xylose; Inositol; D-Glucitol; L-Rhamnose; Salicin; Melezitose; D-Arabinose; Glycerol; L-Arabinose; DL-Lactic acid.

Clinical significance:

Candida norvegensis is a very rare clinical isolate that has been reported as a causative agent of peritonitis and disseminated candidiasis in a patient on CAPD.

Mycosis: Candidiasis

Further reading:

Kreger-Van Rij, N.J.W. (ed) 1984. The Yeasts: a taxonomic study. 3rd Edition. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Rippon, J.W. 1988. Medical Mycology. 3rd Edition. W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, USA.