Fluid for Fungal Stain:
Why Fluid for Fungal Stain Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Fungi are microbes that exist in nature (single-celled - yeast, branched filamentous - molds). Most of them are harmless but a few types are infectious too. Modes of the spread of fungal infection in humans include contact with contaminated soil and or decaying plants/rotting woods (i.e organic decaying of moist/damp leaves or rotting woods on wet soil), animal bite or scratch (often cats), unhygienic habits such as sharing clothes from another fungal infected person (skin), unsanitary food preparations, weak immune system (immunocompromised) eg. HIV/AIDS, patient under immune suppressive medications etc. Some of the sample specimens include blood, skin, nails, mucosal surfaces – such as wounds or the fungal infected genital regions etc. Common types of fungal infections include tinea infections eg. tinea corporis (ringworm), tinea pedis (athlete's foot), tinea cruris (jock itch) etc. There are two types of fungal infections – Superficial (affecting the parts of the outer body) and Systemic (affecting systems inside the body eg. Lung etc). Typical signs and symptoms of a fungal infection in the skin are itchy, red skin and scales. The nail infection may show symptoms of yellow, thick and brittle nails. Signs of fungal infection of the mouth (oral candidiasis with oral thrush) include white patches on the tongue, inner cheeks and gums. Vaginal infection of the fungi may show vaginal discharge and itching. Symptoms of a systemic fungal infection include fever, muscle aches, headaches, chills, nausea, rapid heartbeat etc. Specimen collection depends on the type and site of fungal infection manifested in the patient. Superficial infection– specimen may be skin or nail scraping, oral or vaginal infection– the special swab is used to collect tissues or fluid from a suspected infected part like mouth or vagina, tissue/fluid biopsies etc. The sample specimen is usually Intra-Vascular Fluid i.e Blood (serum/plasma) and/or body fluids. Body/Bio-Fluid Tests: Body Fluids include Peritoneal/Ascitic fluid (Ascites) – in peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of inner abdominal wall etc), Pericardial fluid, infected pleural fluid causing pleural effusion, Bronchial Wash, Drain or aspiration Fluids - Paracentesis, Thoracocentesis, aspiration of bone marrow, aspiration of amniotic fluid, JP Drain and /or blood, urine, saliva, sweat, bile fluid, seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, synovial fluid, nasal fluid, CSF, lymph, endolymph etc can provide vital clue in biochemical investigation of pathologies in certain disorders or disease conditions in certain differential diagnosis to arrive at a conclusive definitive diagnosis and also for prognosis.Significance of Fungal Stain on body Fluids test: A blood test is used to detect the presence of fungi in the blood eg. During systemic infection (such as septicemia) antigen/Antibody testing eg. ELISA etc. A urine test may be performed for vaginal infections or UTI etc. Sputum specimen is preferred in thick coughed up sputum that may help to diagnose fungal infection in the lungs. In a few cases, the symptom of a fungal infection (systemic infection) might mimic bacteria or viral infection. Moreover when medications such as antibacterial and/or antiviral drugs when proven ineffective, then physicians may suspect a fungal infection and hence may order a fungal culture and sensitivity test for differential diagnosis to rule out the chances of other pathological causes behind the infection. Fungal culture and sensitivity test –help for diagnosis of a fungal infection (culture tests) to detect the presence, type of pathogenic fungi causing the infection and also for prognosis (sensitivity tests) during treatment. Additional tests include microscopic examination (eg. KOH i.e potassium hydroxide preparation, Calcofluor white stain), antigen or antibody testing in a blood specimen, molecular testing, histo-pathological tests (tissue biopsies), CSF specimen (meningitis) with symptoms of severe persistent headaches, stiff neck, sensitivity to light etc. The generally fluid test sample specimens is usually the blood (serum/plasma) and/or body fluids. Other tests are imaging studies like CT Scan, MRI Scan, Ultrasound etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen – Body Fluid Sample specimen (as directed by the physician or the pathologist after clinical assessment.Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RTDIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
