A simple culture medium for phenotypic characterization and long-term storage of medically relevant fusarioid fungi

Fusarioid fungi, particularly Neocosmospora solani and Fusarium oxysporum, are emerging as significant human pathogens, causing infections ranging from localized mycoses to life-threatening systemic diseases. Accurate identification and preservation of these fungi in clinical laboratories remain challenging because of their diverse morphologies and specific growth requirements. This study evaluated a novel milk-honey and malt agar (MHM) against conventional media for cultivating and preserving 60 clinical fusarioid isolates, including Neocosmospora spp. (n = 47), Bisifusarium spp. (n = 5), and Fusarium spp. (n = 8). Compared with Sabouraud dextrose 2 % agar (SDA) and malt extract agar (ME2), MHM significantly increased conidia production (p < 0.0001, mean = 3.4 × 10