Abstract
Most visceral fungal infections in Japan have been assumed to be opportunistic, and the prevalent diseases are candidiasis, aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, and mucormycosis in this order. Recently, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis have also been reported in Japan. Precise and early pathogen diagnosis in cases with visceral mycosis, especially in immunocompromised patients, is essential for effective treatment. The author carried out microscopical studies on autopsy and surgical cases in the Kitasato University Hospital from January, 1982 to December, 1985, and collected 210 examples of histologically false mycosis, which have been categorized as non-fungal substances resembling fungal elements. Extensive histopathological investigations were performed and the results reported, with emphasis on important findings on differentiation between true and false mycosis.
