CURRENT CONCEPTS IN PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS - FUNGAL DISEASES

With experience and a battery of special histologic stains, many funga l and related pathogens can be rapidly and accurately identified by ex amining routinely processed tissue sections that contain the etiologic agent. When needed, immunofluorescence adds accuracy and specificity to the histopathologic diagnosis, and it can be used to identify most of the common fungal pathogens in smears and deparaffinized sections o f formalin fixed tissue. Histologic and immunohistologic studies are i nvaluable for the early recognition of fungal infections and for the d irect confirmation of tissue invasion by fungi that are either members of the normal body microflora or are suspected of being environmental contaminants when isolated in culture. These studies also permit diff erentiation of various infectious diseases that sometimes occur in the immunocompromised host. Accurate histologic distinction between diffe rent fungi is often crucial, because it may have important therapeutic implications.