Evaluation of Human Body Fluids for the Diagnosis of Fungal Infections

Table 1

Use of body fluid for the detection of fungal infections.

Site of infection	Sample	Most Etiologic fungal agents
Systemic infection	Blood	Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Cryptococcus spp.
Urinary tract and systemic infection	Urine	Candida spp. especially C. albicans, Cryptococcus spp.
Lung	Pleural effusion, Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid	Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Cryptococcus spp., Zycomycetes fungi family
Peritoneum	Peritoneal	Candida spp., and rare filamentous fungi like Fusarium oxysporum or Aspergillus spp.
Joint	Synovial fluid	Candida spp., Aspergillus fumigatus
Heart	Pericardial effusion	Endemic fungi such as Histoplasma and Coccidioides or opportunistic fungi like Candida, Aspergillus and semi-fungi including Nocardia and Actinomyces
Central Nervous Infection	Cerebrospinal fluid	Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Blastomyces dermatitis, Pseudallescheria and Histoplasma capsolatum
Oral	Saliva	Candida spp.