Nucleic acid probes are described for detecting yeasts capable of causing Candida infection, specifically yeasts of the genera Candida, Torulopsis, and Yarrowia. The preferred probes are complementary to ribonucleic acid sequences unique to specific Candida species, or groups of such species, and as such can detect the rRNA, rDNA, or polymerase chain reaction amplification products of these genes. Methods for detecting the etiological agent of human Candida fungemia utilizing these probes are also provided.