A sample of skin or mucus membrane can be taken by 1 of 3 methods: a shave biopsy (scraping or shaving a thin layer), a punch biopsy (using a needle or punch to obtain a small, but deeper, sample), or an excision of tissue (cutting to remove a piece of tissue).
A small piece of skin or mucous membrane is thus obtained and placed in culture media in the laboratory. It is observed for the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungus. When growth is observed, the microorganisms can be identified and classified.
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