Introduction to Clinical Mycology

Incubation of Cultures

February 2012

The incubation of cultures–fungal cultures pretty much grow best at 30 degrees centigrade. And that is what we recommend as a temperature for growth for trying to recover these organisms. The humidity needs to be high because otherwise the media will begin to dry out. We mentioned earlier the culture plates need to be about 40 mL in volume, and once something grows, the plates need to be taped. They need to be taped at the beginning of incubation to prevent the lids from coming off, preventing a spill. And, if you use tubes, you need to use a large bore tube, it gives you much more surface area for the slant and in the butt. When you inoculate the tube with clinical specimen you need to place it on its side so that the slant is facing up, horizontally. Allow that to sit for 30 to 45 minutes so that the specimen is allowed to soak into the agar and then the organism will grow without everything running to the bottom. Most places just simply don’t take the time to do this.

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Incubation of Cultures

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• Introduction
• Introduction to Clinical Mycology
• Culture Variation of Cryptococcus neoformans–Medium Dependent
• Enhancement Supplements for Fungal Recovery Media
• Use of Cycloheximide
• Cycloheximide: Fungi Inhibited
• Aspergillus fumigatus
• Effect of Cycloheximide–Aspergillus niger
• Culture of Coccidioides immitis on a Medium with Cycloheximide
• Treatment of Contaminated Specimens
• Typical Overgrowth of Culture Plate
• Culture of Blastomyces dermatitidis After Ammonium Hydroxide Treatment
• Use of Culture Dishes: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Use of Culture Dishes: Dehydration of Media
• Use of Tubes for Culture: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Use of Culture Tubes
• Incubation of Cultures
• Culture Incubation
• Culture Examination
• Sealing of Culture Dish to Prevent Contamination
• Mitey Big Problem
• Introduction to Clinical Mycology
• Questions