Patient education: Fungal culture (The Basics)

What is a fungal culture? — 

This is a lab test to check a sample of fluid or tissue for fungus. Molds and yeasts are types of fungus.

Common types of fungal infections affect the skin, hair, nails, and vagina. They are not usually serious. Examples of common fungal infections include ringworm, vaginal yeast infections, and jock itch.

Fingal infections inside the body are much more serious, especially in people who have trouble fighting infections. An infection caused by a fungus can be harder to treat than one caused by a bacteria or virus.

The sample for a fungal culture can come from different sources. Examples include:

●Blood

●Fluid from around the spine and brain ("cerebrospinal fluid")

●Fluid from inside a joint ("synovial fluid")

●Urine

●Skin scrapings, or tissue like a toenail

●Fluid from inside the belly ("peritoneal fluid"), or around the heart ("pericardial fluid") or lungs ("pleural fluid")

For a fungal culture, a doctor takes a sample of fluid or tissue and sends it to the lab. In the lab, they add a special substance that causes the fungus to grow. If there is a fungus in the sample, it can often take a week or 2 to show up.

Why might I get a fungal culture? — 

Your doctor might order a fungal culture:

●If you have symptoms of an infection – These can include fever, chills, redness around a wound, or fast heartbeat. Severe infections can cause more serious symptoms, like confusion, trouble breathing, belly pain, or problems with organs.

●To help decide what medicines to prescribe – A culture can show what kind of germ is causing an infection. This is important for deciding how to treat it. Antibiotics do not work on fungal infections.

●To check if a medicine is working

What do my results mean? — 

Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to expect your results, and will contact you with the results. Or if you use an online "patient portal," you might get an alert there when your results are ready.

●If your fungal culture is "positive," you do have fungus in the sample that was tested. Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about what to do next and whether you need treatment.

●If your fungal culture is "negative," you do not have fungus in the sample that was tested. If you still have symptoms, your doctor might do other tests to try to figure out the cause.

More on this topic

Patient education: Ringworm, athlete's foot, and jock itch (The Basics)
Patient education: Vulvovaginal yeast infection (The Basics)
Patient education: Fungal nail infections (The Basics)

Patient education: Ringworm (including athlete's foot and jock itch) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Vaginal yeast infection (Beyond the Basics)