Frequency Of Onychomycosis Research Articles

Low positivity rate and high percentage of nondermatophyte molds in an analysis of 35,257 fungal nail culture results from a United States national commercial laboratory, 2019-2022

Low positivity rate and high percentage of nondermatophyte molds in an analysis of 35,257 fungal nail culture results from a United States national commercial laboratory, 2019-2022

Onychomycosis in patients with multiple sclerosis: prevalence, clinical description, mycological, and dermoscopic study in a Mexican population.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease related to HLA-DR8. Susceptibility to onychomycosis has been found in Mexican mestizos with HLA-DR8. The frequency of onychomycosis in this neurological disease is unknown. To determine the frequency of onychomycosis and its clinical, mycological, and dermoscopic characteristics in patients with MS in comparison with the general population. Observational, cross-sectional, case-control study in patients with MS from October 2017 to February 2018. Age, gender, MS type, and time of progression from diagnosis to date and baseline treatment were collected after signed informed consent. A neurological exploration and clinical examination of fingernails and toenails for onychomycosis was conducted. Mycological and dermoscopic studies of the infected nails were performed on patients with clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis. A healthy control group was taken for each case (1:1), paired by age and gender. The frequency of onychomycosis in patients with MS was higher than the healthy population (32% vs. 26%, P=0.509). A higher frequency of non-dermatophyte fungi was found, although it was not statistically significant. The clinical manifestations and dermoscopic findings in patients with MS and onychomycosis were similar to those of the general population. The frequency of onychomycosis in patients with MS is slightly higher than that of the general population. A possible association of HLA-DR8 as a susceptibility factor for onychomycosis is proposed. The etiology of opportunistic fungi in MS patients with onychomycosis may be related to immunosuppressive treatment.

Prevalence of Toenail Onychomycosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Evaluation of Risk Factors

we sought to determine the frequency of toenail onychomycosis in diabetic patients, to identify the causative agents, and to evaluate the epidemiologic risk factors. data regarding patients' diabetic characteristics were recorded by the attending internal medicine clinician. Clinical examinations of patients' toenails were performed by a dermatologist, and specimens were collected from the nails to establish the onycomycotic abnormality. All of the specimens were analyzed by direct microscopy and culture. of 321 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, clinical onychomycosis was diagnosed in 162; 41 of those diagnoses were confirmed mycologically. Of the isolated fungi, 23 were yeasts and 18 were dermatophytes. Significant correlations were found between the frequency of onychomycosis and retinopathy, neuropathy, obesity, family history, and duration of diabetes. However, no correlation was found with sex, age, educational level, occupation, area of residence, levels of hemoglobin A(1c) and fasting blood glucose, and nephropathy. The most frequently isolated agents from clinical specimens were yeasts. long-term control of glycemia to prevent chronic complications and obesity and to promote education about the importance of foot and nail care should be essential components in preventing onychomycosis and its potential complications, such as secondary foot lesions, in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Onychomycosis and Tinea Pedis in Athletes from the State of Rio Grande Do Sul (Brazil): A Cross-Sectional Study

Onychomycosis and tinea pedis are common superficial infections caused primarily by dermatophytes. The aim of this investigation was to study the epidemiology, etiological agents, and potential risk factors for infection based on comparison of athletes and non-athletes from a northern region of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Each group consisted of 100 male individuals with ages ranging from 18 to 40 years. After a clinical examination, samples were taken from individuals presenting signs of onychomycosis and/or tinea pedis for direct microscopic examination and culture. Among the athletes, the frequency of onychomycosis and/or tinea pedis was 32%, and for the control group, it was 20%. The athletes presented 16% of onychomycosis, 12% of tinea pedis, and 4% of onychomycosis and tinea pedis together. The distribution in the control group was 10% of onychomycosis, 7% of tinea pedis, and 3% of this association. The pathogens identified were dermatophytes (84.8%) and yeasts (15.2%), and the most commonly identified organism was Trichophyton rubrum, followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale. No significant differences were found when the frequency of species distribution in the athletes and non-athlete groups was compared. Risk factors for onychomycosis in athletes included familial cases of fungal infection, contact with domestic animals, and nail trauma, while the risk factors in non-athletes included the habit of not using sandals in public bathrooms and nail trauma. For tinea pedis, the habit of not using sandals in public bathrooms was a predisposing factor in both groups, while hyperhydrosis was a risk factor only in non-athletes. This study concludes that despite the higher number of fungal infections in athletes, there is no significant difference between these groups.

Updates on the Epidemiology of Dermatophyte Infections

The spectrum of dermatophytes isolated from skin lesions had changed in last 70 years. Before the Second World War in Germany, Microsporum audouinii and Epidermophyton floccosum ranked the first, whereas Trichophyton rubrum is the most common dermatophyte since the fifties of last century, accounting for 80-90% of the strains, followed by T. mentagrophytes. This evolution is typical for Central and North Europe and it needs to be connected with the increase in the incidence of tinea pedis. In contrast, in Southern Europe and in Arabic countries, zoophilic dermatophytes, such as Microsporum canis or Trichophyton verrucosum, are the most frequently isolated. In Europe, especially in Mediterranean countries, the incidence of M. canis infection has strongly increased during the recent years and this dermatophyte is now the most prevalent in tinea capitis in children. An analysis of the frequency and distribution of tinea pedis in different occupations and leisure-time activities as well as the routes of infection are reported. The spreading of this disease in most developed countries of the world represents a considerable economic problem, since it was accompanied by a parallel increase in the frequency of onychomycosis which implies, as tinea pedis, large financial charges. In poor developing countries, mycoses appear endemically, primarily with children, and their treatment often fails because of the lack of efficient antifungals. The particular epidemiological situations of dermatophytoses and the pathogenic spectrum of dermatophytes are examined at the example of numerous countries.

Characteristics of superficial fungal infections in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia

The prevalence and characteristics of superficial fungal infections (SFIs) vary with climatic conditions, lifestyle, and population migration patterns. This study was undertaken to determine the characteristics of SFIs amongst patients visiting the dermatology clinic of Riyadh Military Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the period 2003-2005. One hundred and nineteen patients with confirmed SFI (37 males and 82 females), aged between 5 months and 67 years, were included in this study. The diagnosis of SFI was based on clinical presentation confirmed by laboratory analysis. The type of mycotic pathogen and the site of infection were recorded as a function of age and sex. Onychomycosis (40.3%) was the most frequent infection, followed by tinea capitis (21.9%), tinea pedis (16%), tinea cruris (15.1%), and tinea corporis (6.7%). Tinea capitis was most prevalent (15.1%) in children (male to female ratio, 1 : 1.57), whereas tinea pedis was most common (11.8%) in adults (male to female ratio, 1 : 2.5). Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis were the most common dermatophytes responsible for tinea infections, and T. mentagrophytes, Candida spp., and Aspergillus spp. were mainly responsible for onychomycosis. The prevalence of SFI was twofold greater in females than males. Children were most commonly affected by tinea capitis, whereas adults generally suffered from tinea pedis. The frequency of onychomycosis was nearly three times higher in adults. This study clearly shows that SFIs are of concern in both genders and in all age groups.

Frequency of toenail onychomycosis in patients with cutaneous manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) can originate onychopathy per se. We have anecdotally observed nail changes in patients with CVI, but there are few studies which determine the frequency of both onychopathy and onychomycosis in these patients The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of nail pathology and onychomycosis in patients with CVI PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 36 adult patients, both men and women, aged from 18 to 59 years, with clinically documented venous leg ulcers. All patients were examined by a dermatologist and the venous leg ulcers were classified according to severity in three grades. The nail changes were described and a mycological examination was performed. We obtained a small fragment of the nail for histological examination. In 27 patients, we also performed functional studies to determine the type of venous insufficiency. The ratio of women to men was 5 : 1. The mean age of patients was 46.39 +/- 8.51 years, men being slightly younger than women. Ten patients had ulcers of grade I severity, 12 had grade II, and 14 had grade III. The overall time of evolution of the cutaneous lesions was 11.02 +/- 10.11. Fourteen patients had superficial venous insufficiency, whereas 13 had deep venous insufficiency. Twenty-two (61.11%) of our patients had nail alterations. These nail changes were related more to the type of vascular affection than with the severity of cutaneous involvement. In more than half of the cases (59.09%), onychomycosis was the cause of the nail changes. The overall frequency of onychomycosis was 36.11%. The etiologic agent of onychomycosis was isolated in 38.46% of the cases, and Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequent agent. The histologic examination of the nail plate showed a low sensitivity (62%) but a high specificity (100%) in the detection of nail plate parasitization. No clinical differences could be established between the nail changes observed in patients with true onychomycosis and those with nonfungal onychopathy. Nail changes are common in patients with venous leg ulcer, and onychomycosis accounts for slightly more than half of the cases. We therefore recommend a routine mycological examination in patients wit nail changes and cutaneous manifestations of CVI, to diagnose or rule out onychomycosis, and therefore avoid overtreating patients without onychomycosis with antimycotics.