Onychomycosis | |
---|---|
Other names | Dermatophytic onychomycosis[1] tinea unguium[1] |
A toenail affected by onychomycosis | |
Specialty | Infectious disease |
Symptoms | White or yellow nail discoloration, thickening of the nail[2][3] |
Complications | Lower leg cellulitis[3] |
Usual onset | Older males[2][3] |
Causes | Fungal infection[3] |
Risk factors | Athlete's foot, other nail diseases, exposure to someone with the condition, peripheral vascular disease, poor immune function[3] |
Diagnostic method | Based on appearance, confirmed by laboratory testing[2] |
Differential diagnosis | Psoriasis, chronic dermatitis, chronic paronychia, nail trauma[2] |
Treatment | None, anti-fungal medication, trimming the nails[2][3] |
Medication | Terbinafine, ciclopirox[2] |
Prognosis | Often recurs[2] |
Frequency | ~10% of adults[2] |
Onychomycosis, also known as tinea unguium,[4] is a fungal infection of the nail.[2] Symptoms may include white or yellow nail discoloration, thickening of the nail, and separation of the nail from the nail bed.[2] Fingernails may be affected, but it is more common for toenails.[3] Complications may include cellulitis of the lower leg.[3] A number of different types of fungus can cause onychomycosis, including dermatophytes and Fusarium.[3] Risk factors include athlete's foot, other nail diseases, exposure to someone with the condition, peripheral vascular disease, and poor immune function.[3] The diagnosis is generally suspected based on the appearance and confirmed by laboratory testing.[2]
Onychomycosis does not necessarily require treatment.[3] The antifungal medication terbinafine taken by mouth appears to be the most effective but is associated with liver problems.[2][5] Trimming the affected nails when on treatment also appears useful.[2]
There is a ciclopirox-containing nail polish, but there is no evidence that it works.[2] The condition returns in up to half of cases following treatment.[2] Not using old shoes after treatment may decrease the risk of recurrence.[3]
Onychomycosis occurs in about 10 percent of the adult population,[2] with older people more frequently affected.[2] Males are affected more often than females.[3] Onychomycosis represents about half of nail disease.[2] It was first determined to be the result of a fungal infection in 1853 by Georg Meissner.[6]
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