Fungal nail infections (onychomycosis): a never-ending story?

• Published in: PLoS pathogens Vol. 10; no. 6; p. e1004105
• Main Authors: Ghannoum, Mahmoud, Isham, Nancy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.06.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Administration, Topical; Age Factors; Antifungal Agents - administration & dosage; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Care and treatment; Development and progression; Diabetes; Disease Reservoirs - microbiology; Drug Administration Schedule; Epidermophyton - drug effects; Epidermophyton - growth & development; Epidermophyton - physiology; Fingers & toes; Foot Dermatoses - drug therapy; Foot Dermatoses - epidemiology; Foot Dermatoses - microbiology; Foot Dermatoses - prevention & control; Foot diseases; Fungal infections; Fungi; Hand Dermatoses - drug therapy; Hand Dermatoses - epidemiology; Hand Dermatoses - microbiology; Hand Dermatoses - prevention & control; Health aspects; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Incidence; Medicine and Health Sciences; Microsporum - drug effects; Microsporum - growth & development; Microsporum - physiology; Mycoses; Older people; Onychomycosis; Onychomycosis - drug therapy; Onychomycosis - epidemiology; Onychomycosis - microbiology; Onychomycosis - prevention & control; Patients; Pearls; Prevalence; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Spores, Fungal - drug effects; Spores, Fungal - growth & development; Spores, Fungal - physiology; Trichophyton - drug effects; Trichophyton - growth & development; Trichophyton - physiology; Ultrasonic imaging
• ISSN: 1553-7374; 1553-7366; 1553-7374
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004105

  [...]men are up to three times more likely to have onychomycosis than women, though the reasons for this gender difference are not clear [6]. [...]the low prevalence of infection in people whose spouses have onychomycosis compared to the prevalence among their children suggests a genetic risk factor [7]. [...]onychomycosis may represent an important predictor for the development of diabetic foot syndrome and foot ulcers [10]. [...]though ultrasound therapy has preliminarily demonstrated fungistatic activity against nail infections [28], the device itself seems overly complicated, with ultrasound transducers and drug delivery compartments needed above each toenail and the requirement for a computer software interface, making it a physician-office-only treatment and likely very expensive [29].