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Published on: December 31, 2017

Onychomycosis in children: an experience of 59 cases

Dong Min Kim1, Moo Kyu Suh, Gyoung Yim Ha

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Korea.

Annals of Dermatology
|September 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Onychomycosis in Korean children is uncommon, with Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans being the primary causes. Early mycological examination is recommended for accurate diagnosis and treatment of pediatric nail infections.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Mycology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Onychomycosis, a fungal nail infection, is less studied in pediatric populations in Korea.
  • Previous research has not identified specific etiological agents for childhood onychomycosis in the region.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and etiological agents of onychomycosis in children in Korea.
  • To understand the clinical characteristics and common pathogens associated with pediatric onychomycosis.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective review of 59 pediatric patients (0-18 years) diagnosed with onychomycosis between 1999 and 2009.
  • Etiological agents were identified using fungal cultures on Sabouraud's dextrose agar.
  • Pathogen confirmation involved direct microscopy and follow-up cultures.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric onychomycosis accounted for 2.3% of all cases, with toenail infections (66.1%) more common than fingernail infections (33.9%).
  • Trichophyton rubrum was the leading cause of toenail onychomycosis (51.3%), while Candida albicans predominated in fingernail infections (50.0%).
  • Concomitant tinea pedis was observed in 23.7% of children, and familial cases were noted in 13.6% of parents.

Conclusions:

  • The increasing incidence of pediatric onychomycosis necessitates thorough mycological evaluation.
  • Accurate identification of causative fungi is crucial for effective management of nail infections in children.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildOnychomycosis

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