ABSTRACT
Mycological laboratories have an important role in the complex scenario of understanding the etiology of fungal infections. They provide information not only related to diagnosis, but also to the treatment, prevention, and control of mycosis. Immunological tests are important for the presumptive diagnosis of some fungal infections, as they do not require invasive procedures to obtain clinical specimens and circumvent the need for biosafety conditions for manipulation of high-risk pathogens. Many experts consider microscopic examination of clinical samples one of the most important steps of the analytical phase of diagnosis, as it allows quick presumptive results, which may directly impact patient care. Cultivation of a clinical specimen allows definitive diagnosis of the infectious agent. Molecular techniques are important alternatives to the conventional diagnosis of high-risk pathogens, such as Coccidioides spp. and Histoplasma capsulatum, since they can eliminate the handling of infectious cultures and allow the detection of fungal DNA before seroconversion.
