Nail clipping in onychomycosis and comparison with normal nails and ungual psoriasis

Abstract: Background: Of all nail disorders seen in dermatology offices, half of them are due to onychomycosis. The main differential diagnosis is nail psoriasis. The objective of this study was to compare the microscopic findings, other than the presence of fungi, in the clipping of onychomycosis versus normal nails and nail psoriasis. Methods: Cross-sectional study of onychomycosis cases, analyzed by clipping and compared with data on normal nails and those with nail psoriasis. Results: Sixty-two onychomycosis samples were compared with 30 normal nails and 50 nails with psoriasis. In onychomycosis, measurement of subungual region, serous lakes, neutrophils and number of layers of parakeratosis are more intense than in psoriasis. Onychocariosis is less common in psoriasis, while bacteria are more frequent. The nail transition zone is more commonly blurred and irregular in onychomycosis. Conclusion: Clipping helps in the differential diagnosis of onychomycosis and nail psoriasis and may be useful even when fungi are not found.

Distribución de especies y susceptibilidad antifúngica de Candida spp. causantes de micosis superficiales. Coro, estado Falcón, Venezuela / Species distribution and antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. causing superficial mycosis. Coro, Falcon state, Venezuela.

Las especies de Candida distintas a C. albicans se describen con frecuencia como agentes causales de micosis superficial y presentan una mayor resistencia al tratamiento con los azoles. Con la finalidad de determinar la distribución de especies y la susceptibilidad antifúngica in vitro de Candida spp., se realizó un estudio ambispectivo donde se analizaron 18 aislados de levaduras obtenidas de muestras de pacientes con diagnóstico de micosis superficial. La identificación taxonómica se realizó mediante la visualización de las características macroscópicas de crecimiento en agar cromogénico y por métodos convencionales. La susceptibilidad a fluconazol y voriconazol se evaluó por el método de difusión en disco. El 88,8% de los aislados provenía de muestras de uñas. C. parapsilosis fue la especie más frecuente, seguida de C. tropicalis, C. albicans y C. krusei, lo cual confirmó el predominio de especies no albicans como causa de micosis superficial. El patrón de susceptibilidad a fluconazol y voriconazol fue similar: todos los aislados de C. parapsilosis y C. albicans resultaron sensibles, mientras que el 83,3% de C. tropicalis mostró sensibilidad a ambos antifúngicos. C. krusei, especie resistente a fluconazol, presentó sensibilidad intermedia al voriconazol. El uso de agar cromogénico permitió detectar infecciones mixtas en muestras de uñas, involucrando en uno de los casos a Candid spp. y C.tropicalis, esta última con resistencia tanto a fluconazol como a voriconazol. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran la importancia de la identificación de especies y la realización de pruebas de susceptibilidad con el fin de evitar fracasos terapéuticos en micosis superficiales. Autor de correspondencia: Leyla Humbría-García. Laboratorio de Micología

Candida species other than C. albicans are often described as causative agents of superficial mycosis and are more resistant to treatment with azoles. In order to determine the distribution of species and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp., one ambispective study, which analyzed 18 yeast isolates obtained from samples from patients diagnosed with superficial mycosis, was performed. Taxonomic identification was performed by macroscopic visualization of the growth characteristics in chromogenic agar and by conventional methods. The susceptibility to fluconazole and voriconazole was evaluated by the disc diffusion method. Most of the isolates (88.8%), came from nail samples. C. parapsilosis was the most common species, followed by C. tropicalis, C. albicans and C. krusei, which confirmed the prevalence of non-albicans species as a cause of superficial mycoses. The pattern of susceptibility to fluconazole and voriconazole was similar: all isolates of C. parapsilosis and C. albicans were susceptible, while 83.3% of C. tropicalis showed sensitivity to both antifungals. C. krusei, fluconazole-resistant species showed intermediate susceptibility to voriconazole. The use of chromogenic agar allowed to detect mixed infections in nail samples, involving Candida spp. and C. tropicalis in one case, the latter with resistance to both fluconazole and voriconazole. The results demonstrate the importance of species identification and susceptibility testing to avoid therapeutic failures in superficial mycoses.

Phaeohyphomycosis of the ungual apparatus - Case report

Phaeohyphomycosis is a disease caused by dematiaceous fungi with a worldwide geographic distribution and broad spectrum. It is most commonly found in adult individuals of both genders and all races. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman with phaeohyphomycosis in the ungual apparatus.

Clinico-mycological correlation in onychomycosis in a tertiary level hospital

To correlate the clinical patterns of onychomycosis with the type of mycological agents in onychomycosis. In this cross-sectional study, 120 patients with onychomycosis, attending outpatient department, were selected by purposive type of sampling technique. They were subjected to thorough clinical examination. Nail material was collected for mycological diagnosis by microscopy and culture on dermatophyte test medium. Microscopy was positive in 47 [39.2%] cases, whereas culture yielded Trichophyton rubrum in 53 [44.2%] and T. mentagrophytes in 2 [1.7%] patients. Common clinical nail changes in mycologically proven cases were thickening of nail plate [68.9%], subungual hyperkeratosis [63.9%], onycholysis [55.7%], roughening of nail plate [29.5%], yellowish discoloration [29.5%] and brownish-yellow discoloration [21.3%]. Only, subungual hyperkeratosis was found significantly more in mycologically positive cases [63.9%] than in mycologically negative cases [37.3%], p<0.05. The validity of microscopic examination for prediction of onychomycosis revealed sensitivity [74.5%], specificity [90.8%], accuracy [83.3%], positive predictive values [87.2%] and negative predictive values [80.8%]. There is an insignificant correlation between clinical pattern and mycological diagnosis. No single clinical feature is suggestive of onychomycosis, hence, direct microscopy must always be coupled with fungal culture for accurate diagnosis.

Como o clipping pode auxiliar o dermatologista / How the Nail clipping helps the dermatologist

Alterações ungueais são queixas muito frequentes nos consultórios dermatológicos. Onicomicoses representam cerca de 50% das onicopatias, daí a importância de se estabelecer o diagnóstico correto antes de se iniciar o tratamento. Neste artigo, relataremos a utilidade de um exame que é de fácil execução pelo clínico, de baixo custo e sensível: esse exame consiste na análise histopatológica da queratina ungueal distal, atualmente já consagrado com o termo clipping.

Onycodystrophies are common problems in dermatologic practice. About 50% of dystrophic nails have a fungal cause, so it is very important to establish a correct diagnosis before treatment. In this article we relate the usefulness of an easydoing exam, free from pain, cheap and sensible. This exam is the histopathology of the nail keratin or nail clipping.

Subungual erythema in lymph node tuberculosis with erythema nodosum.

We encountered a case of tuberculous lymphadenitis with erythema nodosum presenting with an unusual manifestation as subungual erythema in all the digits. Relevant literature and the possible explanation for the subungual erythema have been discussed.

Housewife onycholysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological aspects of onycholysis in Iraqi housewives. One hundred housewives with onycholysis of the finger nails were evaluated clinically in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq between October 2002 to March 2003. Swabs were taken from those patients for microbiological evaluation in the Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. All cases with skin disorder related systemic diseases like anemia, hypothyroidism and drug intake like minocycline, oral contraceptives were excluded from the study. One hundred housewives with onycholysis were enrolled in the study. Their ages ranged between 17-70 years with a mean of 41.96 +/- 12.57 years. Married females were 89 [89%], while unmarried females were 11 [11%]. The site of involvement was mainly the thumb [76%] followed by the ring finger [12%], the index [7%], little [6%] and middle [5%] fingers. The pattern of onycholysis was distal in 47 [47%], lateral in 30 [30%] and both distal and lateral in 23 [23%] of the patients. Onycholysis is a major problem among Iraqi housewives, most probably caused by repetitive mechanical, chemical and physical trauma; therefore, special preventive measures should be undertaken to minimize the incidence of the disease. Housewives should be encouraged to use preventive measures like using gloves and washing machines

Onicomicosis: consideraciones epidemiológicas de nuestra casuítica / Onychomicosis: etiologycal considerations

El objetivo del trabajo es el análisis de la frecuencia de onicomicosis y sus agentes etiológicos en un centro privado dermatológico de la ciudad de Resistencia y la revisión del tema. Se examinaron 300 pacientes de los cuales fueron seleccionados 200, de ambos sexos, con lesiones clínicamente compatibles con onicomicosis, examen micológico directo y cultivo positivos. En el análisis se determinó la frecuencia según sexo, edad, localización y etiología de las micosis ungulares. La prevalencia fue 69 por ciento en mujeres y 31 por ciento en hombres. El agente patógeno predominante fue Trichophyton rubrum. Hemos determinado además una alta frecuencia de onicomicosis por hongos filamentosos no dermatófitos (HFND) (21,5 por ciento), mayor que la informada en la bibliografía consultada

Etiología y características clínicas de la oncomicosis en un grupo de pacientes inmunosuprimidos / Etiology and clinical characteristics of onychomycosis in an immunosupressed group of patients

Introducción: la onicomicosis es una enfermedad que afecta con mayor frecuencia a los pacientes inmunosuprimidos. Objetivos: caracterizar clínicamente la onicomicosis en un grupo de pacientes inmunosuprimidos, según etiología y localización anatómica, sexo y tipo de inmunosupresión. Materiales y Método: estudio descriptivo, en pacientes infectados con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana VIH positivos) y en pacientes traspantados, quienes se evaluaron clínicamente y se estudiaron por laboratorio a través de cultivos y exámenes directos con hidróxido de potasio (KOH) al 10 por ciento. Los datos obtenidos se tabularon en una encuesta y se analizaron por EPI-INFO versión 6.0. Resultados: a 37 pacientes se le tomaron 45 muestras ungueales así: 19 a los pacientes VIH positivo, los cuales fueron todos hombres, y 26 a los pacientes trasplantados, de los cuales 9 correspondieron a mujeres y 17 a hombres. Se encontró Candida albicans en 22 casos (48.8 por ciento), infecciones mixtas en 13 (28.7 por ciento), mohos no dermatofitos en 9(19.8 por ciento) y dermatofitos en 1(2.2 por ciento). Predominó la lesión blanca laterodistal con onicolísis para C. albicans y lesiones amarillas y negruzcas con compromiso total de la uña e hiperquetatosis para infecciones mixtas y por mohos no dermatofitos. El examen directo con KOH al 10 por ciento fue positivo en 45 casos (100 por ciento), el cultivo en 42 casos (93 por ciento) y la concordancia entre ambos fue del 92 por ciento. Conclusiones: C. albicans fue el patógeno predominante, seguido en frecuencia por las infecciones mixtas, pasalos dermatofitos a una segundo plano...

Onychomycosis caused by Exophiala salmonis: first case report in Iran

Exophiala salmonis has been identified for the first time as a cause of onychomycosis in Iran. This paper presents a case of chronic onychomycosis associated with black discoloration and deformation of the fingernails in a 65 year old male. Direct KOH preparations from nail scrapings repeatedly revealed brown septate mycelia and subsequent cultures from this patient yielded E. salmonis

Estudio micótico y bacteriano de pacientes con lesiones ungueales / Mycotic and bacterian study of patients with ungueal lesions

Se presentan los resultados de una encuesta realizada en 249 pacientes con diagnóstico presuntivo de onicomicosis. La mayoría de los casos con impresión diagnóstica de micosis tienen otras etiologías. En nuestro estudio, los casos de origen micótico constituyen solamente el 38,15% y con agentes bacterianos patógenos el 1,6%. Las lesiones producidas por hongos, en su mayoría, son causadas por dermatofitos, en orden de importancia son: Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes y T. tonsurans. La segunda causa son las levaduras; de éstas la mayoría pertenecen a Candida albicans. La tercera causa está constituida por hongos oportunistas