-NCPF-

The National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi is one of four Culture Collections of the UK Health Security Agency.

NCPF is the United Kingdom's only culture collection specialising in fungi pathogenic to humans and animals. Since its inception at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1946 the NCPF has been an integral part of the Mycology Reference Laboratory in Bristol, which means that the expertise is available on site for strain authentication.

At present the collection holds over 4,000 strains of fungi and yeasts of clinical significance, many examples of which are available for sale and distribution. The collection includes dermatophytes and related organisms from the UK and abroad from human and animal infections including many original type strains, mould strains from sub-cutaneous and deep-seated human and animal infection, pathogenic yeast strains and strains of dimorphic fungal pathogens.

NCPF also provides a range of associated services including:

• courses on the identification of pathogenic fungi
• molecular strain typing studies
• classical and molecular taxonomic studies
• construction of antibiograms for developmental antifungal drugs