CRL
Chaseville Road Labs
Molecular · PCR · Diagnostics
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Cutaneous Fungal Workup · 8-Target Panel

Confirm the Fungus Before You Treat the Skin.

Tinea, cutaneous candidiasis, and superficial mold infection look alike — and empirical steroids make the wrong call worse. Confirm the organism in 24–48 hours from a simple skin scraping.

What it diagnoses
The Dermatology Lab
0
Fungal Targets
0
Aspergillus Species
0
Candida Species
0
Hour TAT for results
The clinical problem
Cutaneous fungal disease is routinely misdiagnosed as eczema or dermatitis.

Steroid creams applied to unrecognized tinea or cutaneous candidiasis mask symptoms, blunt classic morphology, and drive extensive tinea incognito — turning a two-week problem into a two-month one.

Eight molecular targets covering dermatophyte (Epidermophyton), Candida species, and superficial molds — confirmed in 24–48 hours from a skin scraping. Prescribe the right antifungal the first time.

By the Numbers

The clinical weight behind this panel.

Industry statistics from public-health bodies and peer-reviewed literature — context for why this testing matters.

20–25%
of the global population has a superficial fungal skin infection at any time

Tinea and cutaneous candidiasis are among the most common skin diseases worldwide.

Source · WHO / JAMA Dermatology
Misdiagnosed
as eczema, psoriasis, or contact dermatitis — steroid creams make it worse

Tinea incognito is a well-documented consequence of empirical topical steroids.

Source · JAAD
<60%
sensitivity of KOH microscopy and fungal culture for cutaneous fungal disease
Source · British J Dermatology
Species-level
identification changes antifungal choice — azole vs. terbinafine vs. topical

Non-albicans Candida and non-dermatophyte molds routinely fail empirical terbinafine.

Figures reflect publicly reported epidemiology and clinical literature for context only. They are not performance claims for the Chaseville Labs assay. See individual citations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health, and peer-reviewed journals.

What This Panel Diagnoses

Conditions, syndromes & infections covered.

The clinical scenarios where this panel is the right call — built around the differential your providers are actually working through.

Tinea (Dermatophyte Skin Infection)

2
Tinea Pedis (Athlete's Foot)

Interdigital, moccasin, and vesicular patterns on the feet — Epidermophyton and Trichophyton are the classic causes.

Clinical Impact ·Confirmed dermatophyte ID supports topical terbinafine or oral therapy for extensive or refractory cases.
Tinea Corporis & Tinea Cruris

Ringworm of the body and groin (jock itch) — common in athletes, warm-climate exposure, and household contacts.

Clinical Impact ·Confirmed fungal etiology prevents misdiagnosis as eczema and avoids topical steroid–driven tinea incognito.

Cutaneous Candidiasis

2
Intertriginous Candidiasis

C. albicans and non-albicans Candida in inframammary, axillary, inguinal, and abdominal skin folds.

Clinical Impact ·Species-level ID matters — C. glabrata and C. krusei frequently fail fluconazole and need alternative azole or topical strategy.
Candidiasis in Immunocompromised Hosts

Extensive or atypical cutaneous candidiasis in diabetes, chemotherapy, biologic therapy, or HIV.

Clinical Impact ·Confirms fungal etiology and species to guide systemic vs. topical therapy safely.

Superficial Mold & Refractory Disease

3
Cutaneous Aspergillosis (niger, flavus)

Post-traumatic, burn-associated, or otomycosis-adjacent skin infection — often mistaken for bacterial disease.

Clinical Impact ·Species ID redirects therapy from empirical antibacterials or terbinafine to itraconazole or voriconazole.
Fusarium Skin Infection

Superficial and post-traumatic Fusarium oxysporum — increasingly reported and frequently terbinafine-resistant.

Clinical Impact ·Detection redirects therapy to voriconazole or combination regimens.
Treatment-Refractory Cutaneous Fungal Disease

Patient who has failed empirical antifungal and is still symptomatic.

Clinical Impact ·Resolves the actual organism so the next prescription is the right one.
Complete Target List

12 targets, resolved from a single specimen.

Each organism below is reported individually as Detected, Not Detected, or Inconclusive — grouped here by pathogen class for clinical scanability.

Dermatophytes

1 target
Epidermophyton floccosum

Candida

4 targets
Candida kruseiCandida albicansCandida glabrataCandida parapsilosis

Aspergillus

2 targets
Aspergillus nigerAspergillus flavus

Other Molds

1 target
Fusarium oxysporum
Why Molecular

Culture was built for a different century.

Multiplex real-time PCR resolves what culture and rapid antigen miss — fastidious organisms, polymicrobial infections, viruses, and resistance markers — from a single specimen.

Conventional
The Old Way

Culture & rapid antigen

  • 3–5 days
    Patient empirically treated before any answer arrives
  • Misses fastidious & viral organisms
    No growth ≠ no infection
  • Single-organism bias
    Polymicrobial infections under-reported
  • No resistance data
    Susceptibilities arrive a day later, if at all
  • Specimen-quality dependent
    Pre-treated patients culture negative
Multiplex PCR
The CRL Way

Dermatology on Bio-Rad CFX384

  • 24–48 hours
    Most reports back the next clinical day
  • 12 targets, one run
    Bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic in a single multiplex
  • Detects what culture can't
    Fastidious organisms, viruses, and polymicrobial infections, all reported individually
  • Validated LDT
    CLIA-certified, internally controlled, per-target Detected / Not Detected reporting
Primary Specimen
Skin scraping or affected tissue
Collection Container
Sterile dry container
Volume
Sufficient for testing
Storage
Room temperature acceptable
Transport
Pre-paid FedEx Priority Overnight
Stability
Validated per storage condition
Chain of Custody
Barcoded, temperature-logged in transit
Result Format

Per-target results, with clinical context.

Every analyte is reported individually as Detected, Not Detected, or Inconclusive. What a Detected result means clinically depends on which category the target falls into:

Dermatophytes
Epidermophyton floccosum
If Detected

Epidermophyton detection confirms tinea (pedis, cruris, corporis) and supports topical or oral azole/terbinafine therapy.

Candida
Candida kruseiCandida albicansCandida glabrataCandida parapsilosis
If Detected

Cutaneous candidiasis is common in intertriginous sites and immunocompromised hosts; species-level identification informs azole vs. non-azole selection.

Aspergillus
Aspergillus nigerAspergillus flavus
If Detected

Cutaneous Aspergillus species — most often niger and flavus — cause superficial and post-traumatic skin infection that frequently resists terbinafine.

Other Molds
Fusarium oxysporum
If Detected

Fusarium detection explains treatment-refractory cutaneous disease and directs species-specific antifungal selection.

Qualitative multiplex real-time PCR (Bio-Rad CFX384)
Turnaround: 24–48 hours