Abstract: A coding method was established to identify medically important Candida species (C.albicans, C.glabrata, C.guilliermondii, C.kefyr, C.krusei, C.parapsilosis, C.stellatoidea and C.tropicalis).Firstly, one l.lundred and eleven clinical isolates were identified by the conventional methods into six Candida species lisTed above except for C.kefyr and C.stellatoidea.Then, the clinical isolates and 44 reference strains were examined with 14 carbonhydrate assimilation tests.The results of assimilation tests of each isolate were processed by a coding method into a 5-digital code.Finally, 8 Candida isolates to be tested could be expressed in 18 represelltative codes.The method established can be used for the rapid identification of clinical yeast isolates in clinical laboratory.

Key words: Candida, Candida identification