Fungal growth media

In a fungal growth media comprising oxgall and caffeic acid the improvement comprising the addition of at least about 0.3 grams per liter of said media of purified saponin which is nontoxic to microbial pathogens.

A dry preparation for mixing with water to form a fungal growth media, comprising purified saponin which is nontoxic to microbial pathogens, oxgall, and a substrate for phenol oxidase.

A fungal media for the rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans comprising from about 1 to about 5 weight percent of agar, from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent of purified saponin which is nontoxic to microbial pathogens, from about 0.5 to about 5 weight percent oxgall, and from about 0.005 to about 0.05 weight percent of caffeic acid dissolved in water, said weight percent based upon the water content of the media.

In a method for the identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans present in a body fluid sample the improvement comprising:

• plating said body fluid sample on a fungal growth medium comprising purified saponin which is nontoxic to microbial pathogens, oxgall, and a substrate for phenol oxidase.

In a method for the identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans present in a body fluid sample wherein said body fluid sample is plated on a primary media for growth and the resulting fungal growth is plated on a secondary media the improvement comprising:

• plating said fungal growth on a media comprising purified saponin which is nontoxic to microbial pathogens, oxgall, and a substrate for phenol oxidase, to thereby result in the formation of germ tubes and chlamydospores on said Candida albicans and the development of dark pigment by said Cryptococcus neoformans without affecting the morphology of other yeasts in said fungal growth.