RICE EXTRACT AGAR

Rice Extract Agar was developed by Taschdjian to aid in the identification of chlamydospore producing species of Candida. This medium can be used for culturing yeasts and differentiating them on basis of micromorphological characteristics particularly for differentiation of C.albicans and C. stellatoidea on basis of formation of chlamydospsores. Rieth had demonstrated that this medium can be used for mycological diagnostic procedures.
Candida colony can be inoculated by streaking (very thinly) on the surface of rice extract agar in 3-4 broad zig zag lines and covered with cover glass This oxygen deficient condition favours chlamydospore formation and pseudomycelial growth of yeasts. If the specimen is heavily infected with Candida it can be streaked directly on agar. On incubation for approximately 96 hours at 22-250C culture can be directly examined under microscope through cover glass.

for di?erentiation of yeasts by means of their typical chlamydospores and on the basis of morphological criteria