[Molecular biology in the diagnosis of deep-seated candidiasis in the critically ill non-neutropenic patient]. / Biología molecular en el diagnóstico de la candidiasis profunda en el paciente crítico no neutropénico.

Candida infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Rapid detection of the yeast in blood and other tissues by molecular biology methods has been the goal of some recent studies. An analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of these methods assayed in clinical specimens from critically ill and other patients is carried out. PCR amplification of ribosomal genes and their internal spacers showed a higher sensitivity than culture based methods. A standardization of most of the methodological steps in molecular methods is needed. Real time PCR with fluorescent probes seems to be the most interesting proposal. It has the advantage of the possible quantification of fungal presence in tissues and minimizes the samples' contamination risk.

First case of human cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii in Spain.

We report the first case of human cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii described in our country, which was presented as brain cryptococcoma in an immunocompetent patient. An extensive sampling of the patient's environment was carried out to find the source of infection.