Evaluation of the API 20C yeast identification system for the differentiation of some dematiaceous fungi.

Ninety-seven isolates of Cladosporium spp., Exophiala spp., Fonsecaea spp., Lecythophora hoffmannii, Phaeoannellomyces werneckii, Phialophora spp., Wangiella dermatitidis, and Xylohypha bantiana were used to evaluate the API 20C Yeast Identification System for the differentiation of dematiaceous fungi. Using the API 20C system, we were able to distinguish most species of Phialophora and Cladosporium and to separate L. hoffmannii from the species of Phialophora tested; X. bantiana from C. carrionii, C. resinae, and C. sphaerospermum; and W. dermatitidis from Exophiala jeanselmei and Exophiala spinifera. Ninety-two (60.1%) of 153 possible species-pair combinations were separated.