Evaluation of the Abbott Quantum II yeast identification system.

Summary: We evaluated the accuracy of Abbott Quantum II (AQII) yeast idenfication system (Abbott Laboratories, Diagnostic Division, Irving, Texas, USA) by identifying 115 medically important coded yeast cultures that were previously identified by the conventional and/or API 20 C system. The AQ II is a semi‐automated, 24 hour system that identifies medically important yeasts based on matrix analysis of 19 biochemical tests and a germ tube test The conventional system is based on fermentation and assimilation of carbohydrates, morphology, nitrate assimilation and other accessory tests such as urea hydrolysis and a germ tube test. The conventional system requires 2–3 weeks to identify an unknown yeast The API 20 C system (Analytab Products, Inc., Plainview, NY) is a ready‐to‐use micromethod that permits identification of most clinically significant yeasts within 72 hours based on assimilation of 19 carbohydrates plus the morphology of the isolate. The conventional and the API 20 C systems were used as controls. When compared with the control systems, AQ II system correctly identified 99 of the 115 (86.08 %) of the coded yeast cultures. Only one of the 115 isolates was not identified by any of the three systems.