Lectin typing of five medically important Candida species.

This study reports the patterns of agglutination of 93 clinical Candida isolates by 14 commercial lectins. The isolates were of the species Candida albicans (55), C. tropicalis (12), C. guilliermondii (10). C. glabrata (eight) and C. parapsilosis (eight). Hundred percent of isolates were agglutinated, at least, by a panel of three lectins: Canavalia ensiformis (ConA), Lens culinaris (LCA) and Pisum sativum (PSA), all of them with alpha-D-mannose specificity. In addition, another panel of three lectins could distinguish between C. glabrata, C. tropicalis and C. albicans. Lectin typing may be of potential value for taxonomic and epidemiological studies of yeasts in clinical laboratories.