title: Epidemiology of onychomycosis in southern Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Onychomycosis appears to be a variable entity: it presents in different forms in different parts of the world. It is probable that every country has its own particularities of presentation and it is also probable that different regions of the same country, with either different or equivalent environmental conditions, present with different levels of incidence. Large-scale epidemiological studies performed worldwide have demonstrated different epidemiological results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to determine the epidemiology of onychomycosis in the population of southern Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct microscopic examination and culture were performed on samples from patients with clinical suspected onychomycosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequently isolated fungus was Candida (52.44%), followed by dermatophytes (41.04%) and saprophytic molds (6.51%). Finger nails were infected more than toe nails in both sexes. The most frequently isolated fungus in finger nails was Candida (76%), followed by dermatophytes (23%), and molds (1%); toe nails were most often infected by dermatophytes (71%), Candida (13%) and molds (16%). Among the infected women patients, the most frequently isolated fungus was Candida (64%), followed by dermatophytes (30.58%); 5.33% were infected by saprophytic molds. Of the 101 men infected, dermatophytes were most frequently isolated (62.37%), followed by Candida (28.71%) and saprophytic molds (8.91%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comparison of the results of epidemiological studies of onychomycosis worldwide show great differences, not only between different countries and different climate zones, but also between studies performed in the same country. In our opinion such epidemiological studies should be performed in every country in order to determine the major fungal species responsible; such information is extremely useful in the treatment of nail onychomycosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Athens and A. Sygros Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rigopoulos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Katsiboulas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koumantaki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Emmanouil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papanicolaou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsambas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology