[Causal agents of onychomycosis].

The results obtained with 307 specimens from putatively immunocompetent patients between May 1991 and May 1992 were reviewed, to determine the frequency of isolation of fungal species causing onychomycoses. Sixty eight percent of the specimen were positive for microscopic examination and/or cultures. Onychomycoses occurred with double frequency in women than in men (Table 1), and 77% of cases were diagnosed in patients aged between 30 and 70 years (Figure 1). Out of 182 patients with positive cultures, 60% were affected by dermatophytes and 39% by yeasts; molds (Aspergillus spp.) were isolated in only two cases (Table 3). Neither Corynebacterium spp., nor Malasezzia furfur were detected. In toe nails Trichophyton rubrum predominated over yeasts being isolated in 72.9% of the cases; yeasts other than Candida albicans were isolated in 12.3%, Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 10%, while Aspergillus spp., C. albicans and Epidermophyton floccosum in only 1.6%. On the other hand, in finger nails yeasts predominated: C. albicans was isolated in 46.7% of cases, other yeasts in 43.3%; and T. rubrum in the remaining 10%. Out of 41 isolations of yeasts other than C. albicans, 42% were C. parapsilosis, 16% Debaryomyces hansenii, 6% C. pulcherrima, 6% Trichosporum cutaneum and 6% C. famata (Figure 2).