Effects of time lapse between sputum collection and culturing on isolation of clinically significant fungi.

A retrospective study of 34,314 sputum specimens received by a reference laboratory over a 10-year period demonstrated that clinically significant fungi could be isolated even after long periods of delay between collecting and culturing. As a result of this study, it should be stressed that although immediate culturing for fungi is the ideal, specimens should not be rejected because of delays in transport.