ABSTRACT
The definitive diagnosis of an infectious disease is in part dependant on the detection and/or the isolation and identification of the pathogenic microorganism or the detection of antigens or antibodies specifically associated with the pathogen. Specific culture methods are used for the isolation and identification of a wide variety of pathogenic microorganisms. Identification of pathogenic filamentous fungi and protozoa is generally based on the morphological characteristics of the organism. Additionally, the identification of the former is based primarily on cultural and microscopic characteristics and a limited number of biochemical tests. Conventional identification schemes for bacteria and yeasts rely on the determination of a variety of biochemical features. A variety of procedures are employed for the collection, isolation, and identification of pathogenic microorganisms from different anatomical sites including tissue, body fluids, pulmonary secretions, and blood. Various procedures are used for the isolation of different types of microorganisms.
