Potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation is used for the rapid detection of fungal elements in clinical specimens, as it clears the specimen making fungal elements more visible during direct microscopic examination. Image 1: Left: Fungal hyphae in a (KOH) preparation of skin scales as seen with the 10x objective.
Full Answer
What is a Koh specimen used for in microbiology?
KOH TESTING. A drop of KOH (potassium hydroxide 10%) added to a saline wet prep slide aids in diagnosis in two ways. A) A strong fishy (amine) odor to the solution may indicate bacterial vaginosis. B) KOH dissolves the cell walls of epithelial cells but does not dissolve the pseudohyphae or spores of Candida. It can be helpful in identifying yeast infections.
When should Koh be used in the workup of dermatophytes?
Jul 02, 2018 · The KOH test can check for ringworm and jock itch. The KOH test will check for a range of different fungal infections in the skin, hair, nails, or …
What is the use of 20% KOH?
The potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation is used to clear clinical material in order that fungal elements can be seen more easily. In this method, a small portion of clinical sample is added to 10% KOH on a glass slide with a glass coverslip and left to sit at room temperature for 3 minutes to allow for digestion of host cells.
Is a 10% KOH corrosive?
Use of 10% KOH in wet preparations improves the visualization of yeast and mycelia by disrupting cellular material that might obscure the yeast or pseudohyphae. Examination of a wet mount with KOH preparation should be performed for all women with symptoms or signs of VVC, and women with a positive result should be treated.
What is the purpose of 10% potassium hydroxide?
What is the purpose of using KOH in fungal microscopy?
What is the purpose of using a KOH preparation?
Why is 10% KOH used in observing yeast from skin samples?
How does the KOH test work?
Purpose of Test
Risks and Contraindications
- The KOH prep test carries little risk aside from a small chance of bleeding or infection as a result of scraping the skin to obtain a sample.1 After the test, your healthcare provider will provide instructions for how to care for the area from which the sample was taken. There are no specific contraindications for this test.
During The Test
- If you see your healthcare provider for a rash that they suspect upon visual examination might be due to a fungal infection, they will likely do a KOH prep test on the spot in the office. You will not have to make a separate appointment or do any type of preparation beforehand. The test itself will take no more than a few minutes and will proceed as follows: The affected skin or nail is ge…
Interpreting Results
- KOH destroys all non-fungal cells, and so when the liquid is examined under the microscope, your healthcare provider is able to see if there is any fungus present in the liquid. Normal results indicate that there is no fungus present in your skin sample. This means your skin rash is not being caused by a fungal infection, but rather something else. Abnormal results mean that fungu…