Mycology laboratory diagnostic capacity for invasive fungal diseases in public hospitals in Vietnam.

ABSTRACT

This was a cross-sectional study on the availability of laboratory infrastructure and capacity for the diagnosis of invasive fungal diseases in 24 public hospitals in Vietnam in 2023. Among the hospitals surveyed, 66.7% (14/21) had specialized personnel assigned for mycology testing, and 95.8% (23/24) had a separate microbiology laboratory space. Microscopy and culture methods are available in nearly all laboratories for isolate identification. Antifungal susceptibility testing is only performed for yeasts in 16/24 (66.7%) laboratories. Non-culture methods are hardly used in laboratories. Strengthening local laboratory capacities is essential to meeting health needs in these endemic regions.

There was a need for investment in fungal diagnostics to improve health services in the settings with a burden of endemic fungal infections.