Onychomycosis due to opportunistic molds

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Onychomycosis are caused by dermatophytes and Candida, but rarely by non- dermatophyte molds. These opportunistic agents are filamentous fungi found as soil and plant pathogens.OBJECTIVES:To determine the frequency of opportunistic molds in onychomycosis.METHODS:A retrospective analysis of 4,220 cases with onychomycosis, diagnosed in a 39-month period at the Institute of Dermatology and Skin surgery "Prof. Dr. Fernando A. Cordero C." in Guatemala City, and confirmed with a positive KOH test and culture.RESULTS:32 cases (0.76%) of onychomycosis caused by opportunistic molds were confirmed. The most affected age group ranged from 41 to 65 years (15 patients, 46.9%) and females were more commonly affected (21 cases, 65.6%) than males. Lateral and distal subungual onychomycosis (OSD-L) was detected in 20 cases (62.5%). The microscopic examination with KOH showed filaments in 19 cases (59.4%), dermatophytoma in 9 cases (28.1%), spores in 2 cases (6.25%), and filaments and spores in 2 cases (6.25%). Etiologic agents: Aspergillus sp., 11 cases (34.4%); Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, 8 cases (25.0%); Cladosporium sp., 3 cases (9.4%); Acremonium sp., 2 cases (6.25%); Paecilomyces sp., 2 cases (6.25%); Tritirachium oryzae, 2 cases (6.25%); Fusarium sp., Phialophora sp., Rhizopus sp. and Alternaria alternate, 1 case (3.1%) each.CONCLUSIONS:We found onychomycosis by opportunistic molds in 0.76% of the cases and DLSO was present in 62.5%. The most frequent isolated etiological agents were: Aspergillus sp. and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis.

Onychomycosis Caused by Fusarium spp. in Dakar, Senegal: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Mycological Study

“…Our prevalence of 12.9% is outside this range, but it is very similar to that reported in a study conducted in Lyon (France) between 2008 and 2010, showing a prevalence of 12.6% [ 12 ]. In contrast, in other studies carried out around the world, Fusarium onychomycosis was diagnosed with prevalences within this range, with 0.09% in Tunis (Tunisia) between 1996 and 2010 [ 13 ], 3.1% in Guatemala (Guatemala) between 2008 and 2011 [ 14 ], 6.25% in Galle (Sri Lanka) published in 2008 [ 15 ], and 7.3% in Kanpur (India) between June and October 2011 [ 16 ].…”

Cladosporium spp: Morfologia, infecções e espécies patogênicas

“…Estas espécies geralmente estão associadas à rinite e asma alérgica (Chen et al, 2014;Vicendese et al, 2015), quadro de feo-hifomicoses superficiais, feo-hifomicoses profundas (Gugnani et al, 2006;Martinez-Herrera et al, 2015), e mas raramente podem causar infecções disseminadas (SandovalDenis et al, 2015).…”

Reversible naftifine-induced carotenoid depigmentation in Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (A. Jörg.) F.C. Harrison causing onychomycosis

“…Common pathogens in onychomycosis are dermatophytes, nondermatophyte moulds (NDMs) and yeasts 1 , 3 , 7 . The nomenclature of fungal infections proposed by the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology suggests that the term onychomycosis should be replaced by tinea unguium when the aetiological agent is a dermatophyte; by onyxis when yeasts are the cause; by ungual candidiasis when the agent is Candida ; and by ungual mycosis when the causal agent is an NDM 8 .…”

“…The fungi Trichophyton rubrum , T. mentagrophytes , and Epidermophyton floccosum are the most common aetiologic agents of onychomycosis worldwide. The most commonly described species of NDM are Scopulariopsis brevicaulis , Fusarium spp., Acremonium spp., Aspergillus spp., Scytalidium spp., and Onychocola canadienses 8 . Candida species are the most frequent among the yeasts 7 .…”