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HelpTest Code KOHFS Fungus, Direct Wet Prep
Useful For
Presumptive diagnosis of fungal elements in direct specimens.
Synonyms/Keywords
KOH Smear, Calcofluor white smear, fungal, fungus
Specimen Requirements
| Specimen Type | Preferred Container/Tube | Acceptable Container/Tube | Specimen Volume | Specimen Minimum Volume (allows for 1 repeat) |
Pediatric Minimum Volume (no repeat) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any (except blood and bone marrow) | Sterile leakproof container | Wet prep tube (1.0 mL sterile 0.85% saline) |
1-10 mL 1-10 g 1-3 nails or skin scrapings 1 swab |
1 mL 1 g 1 nail or Skin scrapings 1 swab |
1 mL 1 g 1 nail or Skin scrapings 1 swab |
Collection/Processing Instructions
A fungus wet prep is routinely performed on respiratory specimens and pleural fluids submitted on fungus culture. Only order this test if a fungus wet prep is desired and:
- A non-respiratory specimen is also being submitted for fungus culture.
- A fungus culture is not being ordered.
Specimens should be collected in sterile leakproof containers without preservatives.
Swab-collected specimens and fecal specimens are NOT recommended.
One swab in a wet prep tube (1.0 mL 0.85% saline- Inventory Item #563725) may be submitted from urogenital or oral sources only.
Moisten small pieces of tissue with several drops of sterile, non-bacteriostatic normal saline.
For nail and skin samples, see Culture, Fungus-Dermal (FSKIN).
For blood and bone marrow FUNG culture, see Fungal Culture, Blood (FBL) (ordered as MISC and sent to Mayo Clinical Laboratories).
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| CSF | Room Temperature | <72 hours |
| All other specimen types | Room Temperature | < = 4 hours |
| Refrigerate | > 4 hours |
Rejection Criteria
| Dried swabs or tissues |
| Specimens submitted in formalin or other preservatives |
| Leaking specimens |
| Specimens older than 4 days |
| Specimens submitted in Eswabs |
Test Information
Microscopic examinations are less sensitive than culture for fungi and do not yield information concerning the viability of observed organisms.
The fungal load in a clinical specimen may be low. Specimens with less than the recommended volumes may therefore lead to a false negative result.
Reference Range Information
| Performing Location | Reference Range |
|---|---|
| All Performing Sites | No fungal elements observed |
| See Critical Value List for list of current critical values. | |
Marshfield Labs Performing Department
Marshfield Labs Microbiology
Performing Information
| Performing Location | Day(s) Test Performed | Analytical Time | Methodology/Instrumentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshfield | Monday through Friday | 1 day | KOH/Calcofluor Stain/Microscopy |
CPT Codes
| CPT | Modifier (if needed) |
Quantity | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87206 | Calcofluor | |||
| 87220 | KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) |
Outreach CPT Codes
| CPT | Modifier (if needed) |
Quantity | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87206 | Calcofluor | |||
| 87220 | KOH (Potassium Hydroxide) |
Ordering Applications
| Ordering Application | Description |
|---|---|
| Cerner | KOH Smear (Non-urogenital) |