Fungus Culture – Reference Identification
Consistent with O. Reg. 671/92 of the French Language Services Act, laboratory testing information on this page is only available in English because it is scientific or technical in nature and is for use only by qualified health care providers and not by members of the public.
Specimen Requirements
| Test Requested | Required Requisition(s) | Specimen Type | Minimum Volume | Collection Kit |
Fungus reference identification |
Submit only pure cultures |
N/A |
N/A |
Submission and Collection Notes
Submit only pure cultures of fungi. Indicate the presumptive/possible identification of the fungus in question.
Submit isolates on fungal media that support the growth of the isolate.
Consult Mycology Laboratory at 647-792-3288 when sending Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis or Histoplasma capsulatum prior to shipping.
Storage and Transport
Label the specimen container with the patient’s full name, date of collection and one other unique identifier such as the patient’s date of birth or Health Card Number. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection or testing delay.
Place specimen in a biohazard bag and seal. Store growth on fungal media at room temperature or 28-30°C until submitted. Specimens should be shipped to the lab ASAP.
Test Frequency and Turnaround Time (TAT)
Fungus culture specimen testing is done daily Monday to Friday.
Turnaround Time: Dependent on the organism(s). Turnaround time is up to 16 days.
Fungus culture identification uses various methods, including microscopic morphology, biochemical reactions, growth temperature and culture characteristics. MALDI-TOF and Molecular methods may be used when needed.
Identification of Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Coccicioides immitis/posadasii are performed using Gen-Probe AccuProbe Confirmation Kits.
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