Fundamentals of Diagnostic Mycology

Fundamentals of Diagnostic Mycology by Fisher MEd MT(ASCP), Fran. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780721650067.

This practical book is designed to be used by both students and laboratory personnel. Fundamentals of Diagnostic Mycology combines theory with practical methods for the laboratory identification of medically important fungi. It features a step-by-step approach to recognizing fungi and the infections they cause. Each chapter contains instructional objectives, numerous illustrations, comparison tables, and a set of questions. Unit I presents concise, easy-to-follow explanations of mycotic infections and the distinguishing characteristics of medically important fungi, particularly those responsible for human infections. Unit II offers a logical approach to laboratory procedures, including specimen selection, collection, and processing, safety protocols, and the staining methods and culture techniques used in the mycology laboratory, with special emphasis on serological procedures. Unit III identifies opportunistic pathogens and the essentials of microbiology, including colonial morphology and microscopy morphology. Units IV through VIII characterize specific fungi, including superficial infections, dermatophytoses, subcutaneous and systemic infections, and yeasts. Multiple illustrations of each fungus, including detailed line drawings and photomicrographs, depict typical and atypical examples of the fungus as it is likely to be seen in routine laboratory preparations, with explanations of identifying features. Scale drawings include a normal erythrocyte to show the relative size of different fungi. Numerous tables in each chapter compare the distinguishing characteristics and relationships among organisms. Each chapter includes learning objectives, learning assessment questions, with answers provided in the appendix, and a glossary of key terms with phonetic pronunciations.