Quality assurance and good laboratory practice in the mycological laboratory--compilation of basic techniques for the identification of fungi.
The identification of microfungi by morphology is generally regarded to be very difficult, as traits used for delimitation of species within a genus often show minute differences that can only be reliably evaluated by experienced mycologists. Different strains of one species can slightly vary in their morphology. This is often used as an argument by investigators with rather limited experience that identification on a morphological basis is not reliable and leads to inconsistent results. This paper compiles essential methods and techniques contributing to improved identification concerning (i) isolation from mixed cultures, (ii) inoculation and incubation, (iii) usage of media, (iv) identification and usage of determination keys, (v) preparation of microscopic slides, (vi) microscopy, and (vii) storage of isolates. The application of chemotaxonomy and sequencing for routine identification of airborne microfungi is shortly evaluated. The techniques compiled here can improve routine determination work considerably and will lead to much more accuracy and consistency of results. An improved quality assurance of applied fungal identification in the field of indoor and occupational hygiene is a prerequisite to find possible correlations between exposure on the one hand and health effects on the other.
Fischer
G
G
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Health, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52057 Aachen, Germany. Guido.Fischer@post.rwth-aachen.de
Dott
W
W
D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care
D009183:Mycotoxins