infections
Overview of Fungal Infections
Diagnosis of Fungal Infections
Culture and examination of a sample Blood tests If doctors suspect a primary fungal infection, they ask people questions that can help with the diagnosis, such as the following: Where they have traveled and lived to determine whether they may have been exposed to certain fungi, even if they were exposed years ago Whether they are taking any medications that can suppress the immune system Whether they have a disorder than weakens the immune system Doctors then take a sample to be grown in a laboratory ( Culture of Microorganisms ) and examined under a microscope. The sample may be sputum or blood, but, occasionally, doctors must take a sample from the lungs. To take a sample from the lungs, doctors insert a flexible viewing tube (a If the diagnosis is unclear, blood tests may be done. These tests check for Antibodies (which are produced by the person's immune system in response to foreign substances, including fungi), Tests That Detect Genetic Material in Microorganisms are also done for some fungal infections. 