Fungal Culture & Sensitivity - Fungal Culture with Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST)

This test involves three sequential steps on a clinical sample (blood, CSF, swab, tissue, etc.): 1. Culture: The sample is inoculated on special nutrient media for fungi (e.g., Sabouraud Dextrose Agar) under suitable growth conditions to isolate and grow any present fungi. 2. Identification (ID): The growing colonies are examined microscopically and using biochemical tests (carbohydrate assimilation) and/or advanced molecular techniques (e.g., MALDI-TOF MS or PCR) to accurately identify the fungal species (e.g., Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, etc.). 3. Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AST): The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of antifungal agents against the isolated fungus is determined using standardized methods (e.g., CLSI or EUCAST). The test includes common antifungals like Fluconazole, Voriconazole, Echinocandins, and Amphotericin B.