Which morphological feature characterizes Candida species in lactophenol cotton blue preparations?

• A. Yeast cells forming true hyphae
• B. True hyphae with arthroconidia
• C. Pseudohyphae & chlamydospores/blastospores
• D. Hyphae with sporangia

Answer: (C)

Candida seen on lactophenol cotton blue mounts shows yeast-like forms that can produce two distinctive structures: pseudohyphae and chlamydospores. Pseudohyphae arise when budding yeast cells fail to detach completely, creating elongated chains with constricted septa that resemble hyphae but aren’t true hyphae. Chlamydospores are thick-walled resting spores formed by Candida, often appearing as large, spherical bodies associated with the pseudohyphae. Some cells may also produce blastospores. This combination—pseudohyphae with chlamydospores—is characteristic for Candida in LPCB preparations, and helps distinguish it from fungi that form true hyphae with arthroconidia or hyphae bearing sporangia.