Laboratory Procedures

Fungal infections have emerged as a significant clinical problem in recent years. Due to the increasing frequency of fungal infections, mycology is today undergoing a true renaissance. Although not fully sufficient yet, we have novel tools for diagnosis. While the conventional methods of cultivation and histopathology remain the gold standards for diagnosis, the progressions in molecular mycological methods have markedly influenced the concept of rapid diagnosis.

Therapeutic modalities have also evolved. The development of novel antifungal agents, including agents of entirely new classes, is noteworthy. Finally, the development of the standard in vitro susceptibility testing procedures for yeasts [1623] and moulds [1622] has established a process for estimation of likely clinical outcome by in vitro susceptibility testing results. This provides increasingly useful ways to determine susceptibility patterns for each of the fungi. For more details, see:

Methods for susceptibility testing
Summaries of usual susceptibility patterns
Our searchable susceptibility database
Detailed laboratory procedures (including pages directly from our procedure manuals)
Techniques for visualizing and identifying fungi in tissue specimens in the section on histopathology.

References

1622. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. 1998. Reference method for broth dilution antifungal susceptibility testing of conidium-forming filamentous fungi; proposed standard. NCCLS document M38-P. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, Wayne, Pa.

1623. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. 1997. Reference method for broth dilution antifungal susceptibility testing of yeasts; Approved standard NCCLS document M27-A. National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, Wayne, Pa.