title: Causative Agents of Onychomycosis: A 7-Year Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Onychomycosis is principally caused by dermatophyte species, but nondermatophyte molds and yeasts have also been involved, causing different clinical manifestations. The aim of this investigation is to determine the clinicomycological and epidemiological profile of the etiologic agents of onychomycosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 9,785 suspected cases of onychomycosis referred to the Medical Mycology Reference Laboratory in Isfahan, Iran, during 2007-2014. Nail clipping was collected in sterile Petri dishes for direct microscopic examination and culture. Clinical isolates were identified by using phenotypic tests and molecular techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of total 9,785 cases with clinical suspicion of onychomycosis comprised in the present study, 1,284 patients (13.1%) were positive by direct microscopy. Age range of patients was between 1 and 82 years. Housewives were the commonest infected population. Candida albicans was the most prevalent species isolated from patients in this study (34.9%) followed by Trichophyton interdigitale (11.7%) and Aspergillus flavus (9.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pattern of causative agents and clinical signs of onychomycosis is altering region to region, so repeated epidemiological surveys of onychomycosis seems to be fundamental. The present study provides novel and appropriate epidemiologic data of onychomycosis for the better prevention and treatment of this fungal infection.
authors: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Mostafa
authors: M
authors: Chadeganipour
authors: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Dr.rasoul_mohammadi@yahoo.com.
authors: Rasoul
authors: R
authors: Mohammadi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002175:Candida / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: causative agents; identification; onychomycosis