A mycological study of onychomycosis was undertaken in 88 patients. The nails were judged to be infected by their clinical appearance. Direct microscopy of the nail clips in 20% KOH solution was positive in 72 (81.8%) and culture was positive in 43 (48.8%) cases. Out of the samples cultured, dermatophytes were grown in 26 cases (29.5%), non dermatophyte moulds in 12 (13.6%) and
Candida
in 5 (5.6%) while 45 (51.1%) samples yielded no growth. Amongst dermatophytes,
T. rubrum was found to be commonest etiological agent (57.6%) followed by
T. mentagrophyte . Amongst the non-dermatophyte mould (NDM),
Aspergillus
was the most prevalent species followed by
Alternaria
,
Curvularia
and
Fusarium
. Commonest age group affected was above 31 years. Males were predominantly affected (65%), male to female ratio being 1.8:1. Fingernails were affected more frequently than toe nails with the ratio of 3:1. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis (DLSO) was more common (50%) than other clinical pattern followed by proximal subungual onychomycosis (PSO) (20.4%), white superficial onychomycosis (SWO) (2%), total dystrophic onychomysosis (TDO) (14%) and paronychia (10.2%).
