Infections in dermatopathology: emerging frontiers.

Significant difficulties continue to exist in the diagnosis of many infectious diseases in dermatopathology. Identifying pathogens in skin biopsies using conventional diagnostic techniques such as microscopy and tissue culture has its limitations. In recent times, molecular techniques including immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization have emerged as useful tools in the diagnosis of cutaneous infections that are challenging and ambiguous on conventional histopathology, thus improving our diagnostic accuracy. In this review, we highlight the main molecular techniques that have been used and continue to evolve in the diagnosis of mucocutaneous infectious diseases and discuss their applicability.