THE SCHOOL OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND HEALTH

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

BMS 304: MEDICAL MYCOLOGY JAN 2023

CHRISTELLE OUEDRAOGO 21-0607

REPORT ON POTTASIUM HYDROXIDE TEST

SUBMITTED TO

DR MONICA OPIYO
EXPERIMENT TWO: POTTASIUM HYDROXIDE TEST
INTRODUCTION
The KOH (Potassium hydroxide) procedure is a method used to examine specimens for yeast.
KOH serves as an enzymatic agent that breaks down debris in a specimen, such as epithelial
cells and WBCs, to view yeast or pseudo hyphae. The KOH test for fungi is performed as a
routine procedure, and patients are not required to prepare in advance. When sent to a clinical
laboratory, results are typically accessible while the patient waits or the next day. A
physician, nurse practitioner, physician associate, medical assistant, nurse, midwife, or
medical laboratory worker can conduct the KOH test. If fungal samples are needed, the
examination is carried out by a microbiology technician. In this experiment, the potassium
hydroxide test was carried on hair, skin and nails samples.

OBJECTIVES
 To evaluate the principle of the KOH test
 To conduct the KOH test and obtain the samples.
 To assess fungal infection
REAGENTS & MATERIALS
1. Pottasium hydroxide 10% and 20%
2. Slides
3. Sample; skin scrappings, nail clippings, hair
4. Microscope
5. Forceps

PROCEDURE
1. Collection: Skin, nail, or hair samples are collected from the infected area on the
patient. For skin samples, a scalpel or edge of a glass slide is used to gently scrape
skin scales from the infected area. For hair samples, a forceps is used to remove hair
shafts and follicles from the infected site. If the test is being sent to a laboratory, the
scrapings are placed in a sterile covered container.
2. The scrapings are placed directly onto a microscope slide and are covered with 10%
or 20% potassium hydroxide.
3. The slide is left to stand until clear, normally between five and fifteen minutes, in
order to dissolve skin cells, hair, and debris.
4. To enhance clearing dimethyl sulfoxide can be added to the slide. To make the fungi
easier to see lactophenol cotton blue stain can be added.
5. The slide is gently heated to speed up the action of the KOH.
6. Adding calcofluor-white stain to the slide will cause the fungi to become fluorescent,
making them easier to identify under a fluorescence microscope.
7. Place the slide under a microscope to read.

RESULTS

Figure 1: nail sample under microscope X100

Figure 2: Hair under microscope X400

Figure3: skin sample under microscope X400

DISCUSSION
The KOH test, also known as the potassium hydroxide test, is commonly used in dermatology
to diagnose fungal infections of the skin, hair, and nails.
When performed on nails, the KOH test helps to identify the presence of fungi that may be
causing nail infections. During the test, a small sample of the individual’s nail was collected
and placed in a solution of potassium hydroxide. The sample was then examined under a
microscope to check for the presence of fungal elements, such as hyphae or spores. If these
were present, it could have been a fungus infection that the nail. Based on the results, the
micrograph did not show spores or hyphae that could have suggested an infection
When it comes to hair, the KOH test can be used to diagnose fungal infections of the scalp,
such as tinea capitis. The test involved plucking several hairs from the affected area and
placing them in a solution of potassium hydroxide. The solution was then heated to help
dissolve the non-fungal material, leaving the fungal elements visible. According to the results
obtained, the individual does not have a fungus infection. However, it's important to note that
the KOH test is not always definitive and other tests, such as fungal cultures may be
necessary to confirm a fungal infection.
To perform the KOH test on skin, a sample from the affected area was collected, using a
scraping tool. The sample was then mixed with a drop of KOH solution on a microscope slide
and covered with a cover slip. The slide was then examined under a microscope to look for
the presence of fungal cells, such as hyphae, spores, or budding yeast which were not present.
The KOH test is a simple and inexpensive test that can provide quick results.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the KOH test is a simple and commonly used diagnostic tool for detecting
fungal infections of the skin, nail, and hair. The test involved taking a skin, nail, or hair
sample and treating it with potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution, which dissolved the keratin
to reveal the presence of fungal cells under a microscope. The KOH test is quick,
inexpensive, and relatively accurate, although it may produce false-negative results in some
cases. It is often used in combination with other diagnostic tests, such as fungal cultures, to
confirm a diagnosis of fungal infection.
REFERENCES
 Kozel, T. R., & Wickes, B. (2014). Fungal Diagnostics. Cold Spring Harbor
Perspectives in Medicine, 4(4), a019299–a019299.
 KOH Prep Test to Diagnose Fungal Skin Infections. (n.d.). Verywell Health.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/koh-test-dermatology-
 Laboratory tests for fungal infection | DermNet NZ. (n.d.). Dermnetnz.org.
https://dermnetnz.org/topics/laboratory-tests-for-fungal-infection