Onychomycosis: A Review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Onychomycosis is the most prevalent nail infection globally.
• Anthropophilic dermatophytes, particularly Trichophyton species, are the primary causative agents.
• Yeasts and molds are less common causes of nail infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of onychomycosis.
• To highlight the role of mycology and onychoscopy in diagnosis.
• To discuss current treatment strategies and their limitations.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of onychomycosis etiology, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
• Emphasis on mycological confirmation of clinical diagnosis.
• Discussion of onychoscopy as an adjunctive diagnostic tool.

Main Results:

• Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes are the leading causes of onychomycosis.
• Onychomycosis diagnosis necessitates mycological confirmation.
• Onychoscopy reveals characteristic fringed proximal margins in onychomycosis cases.
• Treatment efficacy depends on invasion patterns, fungal species, and affected nail count.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of onychomycosis relies on mycological examination.
• Onychoscopy offers a supplementary diagnostic method.
• Combined oral and topical antifungal therapy often yields the best outcomes for onychomycosis.