Raziuddin Ahmed, Saleem Ahmed Kharal, Muhammad Asif Durrani, Abid Hussain Chang, Syed Manzoor Iqbal, Fakharuddin, Wajid Khurshid, Sheikh Sajjad Ahmed.
Comparison of KOH mount & fungal culture in the diagnosis of onychomycosis.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;6(1):143-8.

Objective: Comparison of potassium hydroxide mount and mycological culture in the diagnosis of onychomycosis. Study design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Setting: Study was carried out from September 2009 to July 2010, on one hundred twenty four patients in the Department of Microbiology, Basic Medical Sciences Institute (BMSI), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), who were clinically diagnosed as a case of Onychomycosis with the collaboration of Dermatology department, JPMC. Method: Specimen were taken from the department of dermatology, JPMC and processed for the diagnosis by potassium hydroxide mount and mycological culture in the department of Microbiology, BMSI. Potassium hydroxide mounts was microscopically evaluated for the presence of thread-like branching structures (hyphae) or beaded spherical structures (spores). If present, it was considered as a positive test. Mycological culture was done using Sabouraud's dextrose agar at 25ºC and at 37ºC. Observation for growth was done periodically for 4 weeks; if growth was present then the pathogen was identified by cultural characteristics and microscopy. Results: KOH mount showed fungal element in 76 specimens while in 52 patients the fungal culture was positive. Conclusion: KOH mount was more effective than fungal culture.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com