RESUMO
Aims: To review current and effective techniques of identifying fungi as against the error prone traditional methods being solely depended on by the developing world and recommend steps to improve fungi identification. Fungi are eukaryotes with cell walls composed of chitin with or without cellulose. They are ubiquitous and are estimated to be over 250,000 species, of which about 150 have been shown to cause disease in humans. These species that cause disease in humans are regarded as medically important fungi and are of six categories namely zygomycetes, hyalohyphomyces, dematiaceous fungi, dermatophytes, dimorphic fungi and yeasts. Accurate and rapid identification of pathogenic fungi is critical to disease treatment as the outcome borders on life or death. Traditional techniques in the identification of medically important fungi include the use of stains, macroscopic and microscopic morphology, biochemical tests, histopathology and antibody detection but are plagued with limitations which have necessitated the advancement of more effective techniques that address the limitations of the traditional methods. Three of these effective techniques currently in use in the developed science world are Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) techniques. For the developing world, identifying medically important fungi in order to intervene in treating their resultant infections is still a tedious and rudimentary task. The techniques, equipment and trained personnel is still on the “to do list” while the true culprits of fungi diseases remain unidentified or at best misidentified. Conclusion: The developing world needs to consciously move away from sole dependence on the traditional methods of identifying fungi by being innovative and align itself with current and effective identification methods in order to make a progressive impact in the fight against medically important fungi.