Candida multiplex

Invasive candidiasis is the most common fungal disease among hospitalised patients in the developed world, and candidaemia is often cited as the fourth most common blood infection in intensive care units.

CandID is a multiplex Real-Time PCR kit, the only one on the market capable of discriminating six Candida species from serum and plasma: Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis and Candida dubliniensis.
The kit is “open” to most common laboratory extractors and amplifiers and is CE IVD marked.

Candida is the fourth most common blood infection. Patients who develop septicaemia caused by Candida have only a 60% chance of survival, despite the use of antifungal drugs. Candida is becoming increasingly resistant to first- and second-line drugs. The few treatment options available are expensive and can be toxic for already ill patients.

CandID is the only Real Time PCR kit that enables the identification of the six most clinically relevant Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis and Candida dubliniensis) directly from the patient’s serum or plasma, thus enabling a rapid and informed choice of a life-saving treatment course.

CandID, today, is the best solution on the market for the diagnosis of invasive Candidiasis.

Both tests, when used correctly, allow the identification of invasive candidiasis. Compared to a culture test, the result of which is obtained after ~48 h, with CandID a result can be obtained in as little as 2 hours (including extraction). Rapid diagnosis allows timely and correct management of the critical patient, increasing the chances of survival.

CandID is an ‘open’ kit in that it can be used on the most common instruments found in laboratories. Here are just a few of them.

EXTRACTION: Qiagen EZ1, QiaSymphony, Qiagen QIAamp spin columns, Qiagen QiaCube, Roche MagnaPure and others.

AMPLIFICATION: ABI 7500, Qiagen RotorGene, BioRad CFX96, Illumina Eco, BMS MIC, Roche LC480 (II) and others, Agilent AriaMx and others.

It starts with a minimum volume of 500ul of serum or plasma from which DNA extraction is performed in a final volume of 50ul.

CandID uses the most widely used qPCR chemistry, which is based on the detection of light emitted by hydrolysis probes, detected through different fluorescent channels. The kit contains individual primers and probes designed for the detection of genomic DNA of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis and Candida dubliniensis, combined in two primer mixes (referred to as CandID and CandID Plus).

CandID enables a diagnosis to be made in a short time, allowing the clinician to initiate specific therapy before having a positive blood culture result. The correct use of CandID involves the evaluation and interpretation of the result in relation to the patient’s clinical context.

CandID was validated in a clinical study published in 2022 showing a sensitivity of 88%. In addition, it can be combined with Beta-D-Glucan for an even more robust and culture-independent diagnostic procedure.

The Journal of Fungi, published the paper ‘An Evaluation of the OLM CandID Real-Time PCR to Aid in the Diagnosis of Invasive Candidiasis When Testing Serum Samples’.

The authors are: Jessica S. Price, Melissa Fallon , Raquel Posso, Matthijs Backx and P. Lewis White

Whose conclusions we report:

In conclusion, CandID provides excellent performance and a rapid time-to-result with nucleic acid extraction through PCR amplification, and result interpretation was completed in less than 4 h. Species identification is concordant with culture and may prove beneficial in cases of suspected IC when culture is lacking by avoiding treatment delay or inappropriate therapy choices for IC caused by non-albicans species. The use of prior antifungal therapy compromises CandID sensitivity, but a combined PCR/BDG strategy limits missing cases. Specificity can be improved by requiring multiple positive samples, both PCR replicates to be positive, or by combining the positive CandID result with BDG positivity. In patients at high risk of IC, combining BDG testing with CandID PCR provides a strategy to both exclude and—even more so—confirm IC in the absence of culture, but larger-scale confirmatory studies are needed.

CandID can be purchased by direct negotiation on MEPA by applying to the administration office of your facility. The kit is unique on the market and is accompanied by a declaration of uniqueness. LionDx is at your disposal to formulate the best offer and support you in the application and purchase process.