Study - Clinico-mycological evaluation of onychomycosis at Bangalore and Jorhat

Introduction: Clinical and mycological features of onychomycosis show variation with time and place. Material and Methods: A study to analyze the morphological variants and mycological isolates of onychomycosis was carried out in 50 patients attending the dermatology out-patient departments at the Air Force Hospitals at Bangalore and at Jorhat. Nail clippings were subjected to direct microscopy and cultured on Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar. Results: The commonest age group affected (56%) was the 20-40 year age group. The fingernails alone were involved in 24 (48%) patients, the toenails alone in 15 (30%) patients, and both in 11 (22%) patients. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis was encountered in 41 (82%) patients, proximal superficial onychomycosis and total dystrophic onychomycosis in 3 each (6%), paronychia in 2 (4%) and superficial white onychomycosis in 1. Of the 59 samples cultured, dermatophytes were grown in 14 (23.7%), non-dermatophyte moulds (NDM) in 13 (22.0%), candida in 10 (16.8%) and no growth in 22 (37.2%) samples. Conclusion: Among the dermatophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, and among the NDM, Aspergillus spp., were the commonest isolates.