Bunyaratavej Supapat, Pattanaprichakul Penvadee, Leeyaphan Charussri, Rujitharanawong Chuda, Muanprasart Chanai, Matthapan Lalita, Bunyaratavej Sumanas
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.
Med Mycol J. 2016;57(1):E9-13. doi: 10.3314/mmj.57.E9.
Dermatophytosis usually causes a skin problem, which requires both clinical findings and laboratory investigations for diagnosis. Whereas, fungal culture is considered as the gold standard procedure, it is more difficult to perform compared to potassium hydroxide（KOH）examination.
To evaluate the efficacy of KOH and fungal culture examinations from skin-scraping specimens, which were kept in transparent adhesive tapes at different time intervals.
Skin-scraping specimens were collected from clinically suspected cases by conventional technique using scalpel blades and kept using transparent adhesive tapes. KOH（10%）preparation and fungal cultures were then performed by highly experienced technicians at different time intervals: day 0（the day of specimen collection, which was set as the standard reference point）, day 3 or 4, day 7, day 14, and day 28. Thereafter, the yield for detection of fungal elements by KOH examination and positive fungal cultures from specimens stored in adhesive tape was determined at different time intervals and compared to the results from the standard reference point.
The sensitivity of KOH exami-nations from 162 patients at different time intervals showed no significant difference when compared to the standard reference point at day 0. In contrast, the sensitivity of fungal culture progressively decreased as the storage period was prolonged.
KOH examination of skin-scrapings from the adhesive tape storage technique yield good results even when specimens have been kept up to one month. On the other hand, the sensitivity of fungal cultures gradually declines as storage time is extended.
皮肤癣菌病通常会引发皮肤问题，其诊断需要临床症状和实验室检查相结合。然而，真菌培养虽被视为金标准方法，但与氢氧化钾（KOH）检查相比，操作难度更大。
评估采用不同时间间隔保存在透明胶带上的皮肤刮屑标本进行KOH和真菌培养检查的效果。
通过常规技术使用手术刀从临床疑似病例中采集皮肤刮屑标本，并使用透明胶带保存。然后由经验丰富的技术人员在不同时间间隔进行KOH（10%）制片和真菌培养，时间间隔分别为：第0天（标本采集日，设定为标准参考点）、第3或4天、第7天、第14天和第28天。之后，确定在不同时间间隔下，通过KOH检查检测真菌成分的阳性率以及胶带保存标本的真菌培养阳性率，并与标准参考点的结果进行比较。
与第0天的标准参考点相比，162例患者在不同时间间隔下KOH检查的敏感性无显著差异。相比之下，随着保存时间延长，真菌培养的敏感性逐渐降低。
即使标本保存长达一个月，采用胶带保存技术的皮肤刮屑进行KOH检查仍能获得良好结果。另一方面，随着保存时间延长，真菌培养的敏感性会逐渐下降。
