Species Level Fungal Identification: Removes Shadow of Uncertainty

Globally, fungal infections have become far more common and severe. These days, choosing the best antifungal treatment requires quick identification of the fungus species, particularly in cases of treatment failure, relapse and in immunosuppressed patients.

In the past, only a few fungal species were known to cause the great majority of invasive fungal infections. Nevertheless, in recent years, shifts in epidemiology have been apparent. Every day, as we delve deeper into the mycology, the diversity of fungi keeps surprising us. In view of increasing different antifungal drug resistance profiles of many fungal pathogens, the development of methods for species-specific identification of clinically important fungi is desirable in order to enable the selection of most appropriate antifungal treatment.

The actual identification process is nearly identical in most mycology labs. Growth rate, microscopic observations and colonial morphological characteristics are some of the key factors used to study various fungi. However, this series now includes more advanced and sophisticated techniques due to technology improvements. 

Fungal species-level identification is important because it influences decisions about treatment options, infection control and outcomes in very tangible ways. When ordering a fungal culture for a high-risk patient, it is important to specifically request species-level identification and if possible, susceptibility testing. The results will be evident once we adopt this expectation into test order sets as standard practice

References

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