TY - JOUR
T1 - From the patient to the clinical mycology laboratory
T2 - How can we optimise microscopy and culture methods for mould identification?
AU - Vyzantiadis, Timoleon Achilleas A.
AU - Johnson, Elizabeth M.
AU - Kibbler, Christopher C.
PY - 2012/6
Y1 - 2012/6
N2 - The identification of fungi relies mainly on morphological criteria. However, there is a need for robust and definitive phenotypic identification procedures in order to evaluate continuously evolving molecular methods. For the future, there is an emerging consensus that a combined (phenotypic and molecular) approach is more powerful for fungal identification, especially for moulds. Most of the procedures used for phenotypic identification are based on experience rather than comparative studies of effectiveness or performance and there is a need for standardisation among mycology laboratories. This review summarises and evaluates the evidence for the major existing phenotypic identification procedures for the predominant causes of opportunistic mould infection. We have concentrated mainly on Aspergillus, Fusarium and mucoraceous mould species, as these are the most important clinically and the ones for which there are the most molecular taxonomic data.
AB - The identification of fungi relies mainly on morphological criteria. However, there is a need for robust and definitive phenotypic identification procedures in order to evaluate continuously evolving molecular methods. For the future, there is an emerging consensus that a combined (phenotypic and molecular) approach is more powerful for fungal identification, especially for moulds. Most of the procedures used for phenotypic identification are based on experience rather than comparative studies of effectiveness or performance and there is a need for standardisation among mycology laboratories. This review summarises and evaluates the evidence for the major existing phenotypic identification procedures for the predominant causes of opportunistic mould infection. We have concentrated mainly on Aspergillus, Fusarium and mucoraceous mould species, as these are the most important clinically and the ones for which there are the most molecular taxonomic data.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84861829575&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/jclinpath-2011-200500
DO - 10.1136/jclinpath-2011-200500
M3 - Review article
C2 - 22308268
AN - SCOPUS:84861829575
SN - 0021-9746
VL - 65
SP - 475
EP - 483
JO - Journal of Clinical Pathology
JF - Journal of Clinical Pathology
IS - 6
ER -