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Contemporary diagnostic mycology is a blend of traditional culture and microscopic techniques and newer molecular biology approaches requiring specialized expertise. The overall purpose of this two-part article is to summarize major aspects of mycology laboratory practice and recommend appropriate methods. Part I of this article addresses important aspects of quality control and assurance and laboratory safety. Microscopic and culture methods are also discussed for specimens submitted for laboratory diagnosis of fungal infections. Finally, various methods employed for the identification of yeasts are reviewed, including more recently developed methods, such as chromogenic agars and molecular methods.