ABSTRACT
The genus Rhodotorula is represented by saprophytic yeasts belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota and can be recovered from many environmental sources, such as air, soil, seawater, and plants. Rhodotorula fungemia is the most common manifestation, and has been associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Rhodotorula isolates are easily recognizable in the laboratory due to their distinctive orange to salmon-colored colonies, morphology, formation of rudimentary hyphae, and urease production. Most cases of Rhodotorula infection are fungemia associated with catheters, endocarditis, and meningitis. Non-systemic Rhodotorula infections such as endophthalmitis and peritonitis have been reported in immunocompetent patients. It should be noted that that isolates of Rhodotorula have been found to cross-react with the Candida glabrata/Candida krusei probe in the commercially available fluorescence in situ hybridization test for species identification in positive blood cultures. Conventional phenotypic methods are limited in accuracy and consistency for species identification of emergent pathogens like Rhodotorula species.
