Nail Fungus (Onychomycosis) Turn On/Off hint boxes.

Includes: Toenail Fungus & Finger Nail Fungus

The meaning of "Onychomycosis" is fungal infection of the nail. It is a very common disease of the nails and is the cause of about 50% of all nail abnormalities and problems.

This condition may affect toenails or fingernails, but toenail infections are more common.

In general, the nail plate can have a thickened, yellow, or cloudy appearance. The nails can become rough and crumbly, or can fall of the nail bed. Usually the issue involves no pain or may have no other symptoms, unless the disease is severe.

Patients with onychomycosis may experience a moderate to severe psychological problems due to the unpleasent and ugly appearance of the nails.

The main causes of onychomycosis include:

1. Dermatophytes
2. Candida
3. non-dermatophytic moulds.

Dermatophytes are the most responsible fungi for fungus infection of nails, in the temperate western countries.

Candida and non-dermatophytic moulds are more frequently involved in areas with hot and humid climate such as tropics.

Dermatophytes

Trichophyton rubrum is the most common dermatophyte involved in onychomycosis. Other dermatophytes that may be involved are:

• Trichophyton interdigitale
• Epidermophyton floccosum
• Trichophyton violaceum
• Microsporum gypseum
• Trichophyton tonsurans
• Trichophyton soudanense (considered by some to be an African variant of T. rubrum rather than a full-fledged separate species)
• and the cattle ringworm fungus Trichophyton verrucosum.

Candida

Candida mainly cause fingernail onychomycosis in people whose hands are often submerged in water.

Other moulds more commonly affect people older than 60 years, and their presence in the nail reflects a slight weakening in the nail's ability to defend itself against fungal invasion.

Types

There are four classic types of onychomycosis

• Distal subungual onychomycosis
  • The most common form of tinea unguium usually caused by Trichophyton rubrum, which invades the nail bed and the underside of the nail plate.
  Toenail Fungus and Fingernail Fungus Infections
• White superficial onychomycosis
  • Caused by fungal invasion of the superficial layers of the nail plate to form "white islands" on the plate this class is responsible for only 10 percent of fungal infection of nails (onychomycosis) cases.
  Toenail Fungus and Fingernail Fungus Infections
• Proximal subungual onychomycosis
  • Fungal penetration of the newly formed nail plate through the proximal nail fold. It is the least common form of tinea unguium in healthy people but found more commonly when the patient is immunocompromised.
  Toenail Fungus and Fingernail Fungus Infections
• Candidal onychomycosis
  • Candida species invade fingernails usually occurring in persons who frequently immerse their hands in water. This normally requires the prior damage of the nail by infection or trauma.
  Toenail Fungus and Fingernail Fungus Infections

Toenail Fungus Treatment