Yarrowia lipolytica

Synonymy: 
Candida lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica is a rare cause of candidaemia.

RG-1 organism.

Culture: 
Colonies (SDA) white to cream-coloured smooth, glabrous, yeast-like.

Microscopy: 
Spherical, ellipsoidal to elongate budding blastoconidia, 3-5 x 3-15 µm.

India ink preparation: 
Negative - no capsules present.

Dalmau plate culture: 
Pseudohyphae and true hyphae are produced.

Molecular identification: 
ITS sequencing recommended.

MALDI-TOF MS: 
Able to accurately identify this species.

Physiological Tests: + Positive, - Negative, v Variable, w Weak, s Slow, nd No Data
Germ Tube - L-Sorbose v L-Arabinose - D-Glucitol +
Fermentation   Sucrose - D-Arabinose - 𝝰-M-D-Glucoside -
Glucose - Maltose - D-Ribose v D-Gluconate v
Galactose - Cellobiose w,- L-Rhamnose - DL-Lactate +
Sucrose - Trehalose - D-Glucosamime - myo-Inositol -
Maltose - Lactose - N-A-D-glucosamine + 2-K-D-Gluconate -
Lactose - Melibiose - Glycerol + D-Glucuronate nd
Trehalose - Raffinose - Erythritol + Nitrate -
Assimilation   Melezitose - Ribitol v Urease -
Glucose + Soluble Starch - Galactitol - 0.1% Cycloheximide -
Galactose v D-Xylose - D-Mannitol + Growth at 37C v

Key features: 
Germ tube negative yeast and sugar assimilation pattern.

Antifungal susceptibility: Yarrowia lipolytic limited data (Diekema et al. 2009 and Australian national data); MIC µg/mL.
Antifungal No ≤0.03 0.06 0.125 0.25 0.5 1 2 4 8 16 32 ≥64
AMB 20     1   1 8 5 4 1      
FLU 20         1 1 10 6 2      
VORI 20 9 8 2     1            
POSA 20     2 3 10 4   1        
ITRA 4     2 2                
ANID 14     2 4 5 2 1          
MICA 14       7 5 2            
5FC 4             1   1 2    

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