Methods of specimen collection for diagnosis of superficial and subcutaneous fungal infections.

The diagnosis of mycotic infections is contingent upon the The most important steps for the successful isolation of proper selection, collection and transport of the appropriate etiological agents of mycoses are proper collection, rapid clinical specimen. An active, ongoing interaction among the transport, prompt and correct processing of the specimens clinician, microbiologist and pathologist often facilitates and their inoculation onto appropriate culture media at the correct diagnosis and an accurate interpretation of the suitable temperatures. culture and histopathological results. It is very important that the laboratory receives the correct type of specimen with Superficial mycosis adequate clinical data to enable it to carry out the proper Skin lesions should be sampled from the erythematous, investigations. peripheral, actively growing margins of the lesions. Skin should be decontaminated with 70% alcohol to remove SITE OF COLLECTION OF A SPECIMEN FOR CUTANEOUS surface bacterial contamination. An open, sterile petri dish is held immediately below the area to be sampled and skin scales can be flaked into it by using the blunt edge of a It is important to remember that cutaneous lesions may sterile surgical blade or microscopic slide. When there is little not only represent primary diseases but may also be an scaling as with lesions of the glabrous skin, it is preferable extension of a serious disseminated fungal infection. to use cellophane tape or vinyl tape strips to take adequate Histoplasma capsulatum, for example, can be primarily material.[1,2] The cellophane strip is pressed against the recovered from the respiratory tract but may also be lesion, peeled off and placed adhesive side down on a clean MYCOSIS