FUNGAL CULTURE, NOT BLOOD

LAB240

1. For lesions involving the skin and nails, scrapings are obtained with a scalpel after careful washing of the site with alcohol. 2. In ringworm infections of the skin, it is important to collect the specimen from the active border of the lesions, because the fungus grows in a centrifugal manner from the original point of infection. The center of such lesions are generally free of the parasite. 3. Hairs from suspected cases of tinea capitis are plucked out with tweezers. They should be obtained from the edges of the patch of infection that contains the stubs of infected hair. 4. If candidiasis is suspected, skin scrapings, scrapings from mucocutaneous areas, or vaginal scrapings should be obtained. 5. Submit any of the above specimens in a screw-capped sterile container. Label container with patient's name (first and last), date and actual collection time, and type of specimen. Forward promptly.

Set Up:Daily Report Available:4 weeks

Opportunistic fungal pathogens are more common because of the increase in the size of the immunocompromised patient population. The provisional diagnosis is of paramount importance in the laboratory workup of mycotic infections. Please inform the laboratory of the clinical diagnosis.