Fungus culture, skin, hair or nails

Alphabetical Test listing

Fungus culture, skin, hair or nails-888

Test name:

Test number:

888

Excellian order number:

87101.0

Abbreviation:

FUH

Alternate names:

Fungal culture

Tests included:

Identification, susceptibilities and serogrouping will be performed on all microbiology isolates considered by the laboratory to be significant.

Useful for:

Cutaneous specimens are submitted primarily for the isolation of dermatophytes, i.e. fungi belonging to the Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton genera, and for isolation of Candida albicans.

Specimen type:

Skin, hair or nails

Collection container:

Screw cap plastic container (sterile)

Collection instructions:

Skin scrapings:

Cleanse area with 70% alcohol.
Scrape active edge of the lesion or the top of vesicle.
Swab is not desirable.
Collect in sterile screw cap vial.

Hair:

Using a Wood’s lamp (UV lamp emitting 366 um) in a dark room, pluck fluorescent hairs with a forceps.
If no fluorescence, use ordinary tungsten light for examination for infected hair.

Nail scrapings:

Cleanse with 70% alcohol.
Use sterile scalpel to scrape surface.
Discard surface scrapings.
Send deep scrapings from areas that are easily broken or discolored or from under thick hyperkeratotic nails.

Transport container:

Screw cap plastic container (sterile)

Transport and stability:

Ambient - 2 days

Reason for rejection:

Improper label (unlabeled or mislabeled)
Time delay between time of collection and receipt of specimen
Improper transport container
Improper transport temperature
Inappropriate specimen type

Performing lab:

AHL - Microbiology: M

Days set up:

Daily

TAT:

4 weeks

Method:

Culture

CPT codes:

87101
Additional CPT codes (if appropriate):
87186 - Sensitivities
87077 - ID
This list may not be all inclusive if there is the need to send the ID or sensitivities out to a referral laboratory

Date created:

09/03/2003

Revised date:

09/25/2019

Review date:

12/18/2023