Dematiaceous fungi are pigmented molds with a high content of melanin in their cell walls that can cause fatal infections in immunocompromised hosts. Direct microscopy is the main method for the rapid diagnosis of dematiaceous fungi in clinical specimens. However, it is often difficult to distinguish their hyphae from non-dematiaceous hyphae and yeast pseudohyphae. Our aim was to develop a fluorescence staining method that targets melanin for the detection of dematiaceous molds in clinical specimens. Glass slide smears of clinical samples and sterile bronchoalveolar lavage spiked with dematiaceous and non-dematiaceous fungi were treated with hydrogen peroxide, and digital images were recorded using direct microscopy with different fluorescent filters. The images of fungi were compared for their fluorescence intensity using the NIS-Elements software. The fluorescent signal between dematiaceous and non-dematiaceous fungi demonstrated a markedly increased mean intensity for dematiaceous molds following hydrogen peroxide treatment (7510.3 ± 10,427.6 vs. 0.3 ± 3.1, respectively, p < 0.0001). No fluorescent signal was detected in the absence of hydrogen peroxide. "Staining" fungal clinical specimens with hydrogen peroxide, followed by fluorescence microscopy examination, can differentiate between dematiaceous and non-dematiaceous fungi. This finding can be used for the detection of dematiaceous molds in clinical specimens and enables the early and appropriate treatment of infections.
Keywords: black fungi; dematiaceous molds; fluorescence microscopy; hydrogen peroxide; melanin.