title: Oral exfoliative cytology in the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of conventional oral exfoliative cytology as a diagnostic tool in paracoccidioidomycosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytologic smears and incisional biopsies were obtained from 10 patients with a clinical suspicion and oral manifestations of paracoccidioidomycosis. Cytologic smears and sections of the incisional biopsy underwent methenamine silver staining for fungi according to the Gomori-Grocott method. The dry glass slides were examined at 400 or 1,000 x magnification, and the presence and shape of yeasts of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Yeasts of the fungus P brasiliensis were clearly identified in cytologic smears and sections from incisional biopsies in all cases analyzed (100.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cytology of oral samples proved an effective diagnostic method for the detection of paracoccidioidomycosis in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Schools of Dentistry, Uberaba University, Uberaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: de Sousa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000166:cytology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*