Mycologists have recognized the need for a consensus guideline that serves as a concise reference for the performance of fungal culturing and the preparation and reading of direct microscopic examinations. M54 provides principles and procedures for biosafety in the mycology laboratory, QC of fungal media, maintenance of stock strains, specimen collection and transport, specimen processing, direct microscopic examinations, fungal culturing methods, and assessment of cultures.

This guideline is intended for laboratory scientists who process specimens for fungal culture and/or perform fungal direct microscopic examinations. Although they can be encountered growing on mycology media, Nocardia spp. and other aerobic actinomycetes can also be found growing on media in other areas of the laboratory (eg, bacteriology, mycobacteriology). Therefore, culture and direct examinations for this group of organisms will not be discussed in this document. Furthermore, the identification of fungi is outside of the scope of this document.