Fungal samples can be collected superficially from the skin, nails, hair, and ears. Deep fungal sample testing can be performed on tissue biopsies, body fluids, wet and exudate samples, as well as lung specimens.
Fungal sample testing is used to diagnose fungal infections or, in some cases, to complement bacterial culture testing. Fungal samples are cultured on growth media to identify the fungi and determine the causative pathogen.
Deep wet samples are collected, for example, from abscesses, surgical wounds, chronic wound infections, or other deep wounds. Superficial wet samples can be collected from surface skin and eye infections, as well as from the middle ear. Wet samples are subjected to bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in a microbiology laboratory to identify the pathogen and determine the appropriate antibiotic.