Alternative, cost-effective fungus-staining method for control slides in cytology and histopathology.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a cost-effective, reliable and safe method of providing fungal control slides for routine use in pathology laboratories.

STUDY DESIGN

A set of easily available, low-cost material was tested to obtain fungal colonies on substrate adequate for paraffin-embedded sections or smears.

RESULTS

Such material as cheese is a simple, inexpensive and practical culture medium for silver-positive fungi. A batch of paraffin blocks can be prepared to maintain a stock of control material in the laboratory.

CONCLUSION

It is useful to maintain fungal colonies to produce staining control specimens using small pieces of refrigerated cheese to easily produce silver-staining control specimens or smears embedded in paraffin, reducing the risk of accidental exposure to potentially infective pathogens in the laboratory. This method might also be a good alternative for conserving routine surgical specimens, considering the currently decreasing numbers of necropsy and large specimens, particularly from immunosuppressed and infected patients.