Objective: This study aimed to detect the common organisms by culture and KOH mount microscopy of nail infections.Setting: It was cross sectional study. Three hundred sixty clinically diagnosed cases were collected from 1st July 2018 to 31st July 2021 from Dermatology OPD of Bahawal Victoria Hospital and clinics. The samples were processed in the Microbiology section of the Pathology department of Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Method: The nail specimen was directly inoculated on SDA culture media and aerobically incubate at 25 Ć to 30 Ć for 3 to 4 weeks. The growth was identified in colony characteristics by using cotton blue stains. Whereas the nail is immersed in 20% KOH solution. The microscopic study revealed the hyphae or spores and that is considered a positive for the test. Result: out of three hundred sixty cases the culture positivity was 56.94% of the specimen while KOH mount was positive in 60.83% of specimens and the combination of Culture with KOH was 66.67%.Conclusion: The fungal culture and KOH mount microscopy combination are subtle laboratory methods for the detection of organisms causing onychomycosis. The species detection and precise usage of anti-mycological agents to prevent the complications raised public health considerably.

The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of Periodic acid –Schiff (PAS) staining an early and quick effective diagnostic test of nail clipping with routine tests in the diagnosis of Onychomycosis. Background: The routine gold standard for diagnosis of fungal nail infections has been direct microscopy (KOH mount) and mycological culture which often yield delayed or weak/false negative results. However recent studies have suggested that nail plate biopsy using PAS stain is rapid method of detection that grasped the diagnosis and manage the disease. Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Setting: 320 clinical diagnosed cases of onychomycosis performed at Department of Microbiology, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur and Department of Histopathology King Edward medical University Lahore. Period: January 2012 to August 2018. Materials and Methods: The parameter looked in the sent investigation were histopathology PAS stain, mycological culture and microscopy. Presences of intensely stained reddish dots or threads like structures in between the cells of nail plate were considered to be positive results on histopathology with periodic acid Schiff (PAS). The microscopic study showed hyphae or spores and growth of organism concluded by morphological colony characteristics on Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) periodically after 4 weeks. Result: out of total 320 cases, 81.25% was positive for histopathology PAS stain. Culture positivity was 60% and KOH mount recovered 52.5% positive. The combination of PAS stain and culture results showed 90.62% while Culture and KOH were 62.5% in nail clipping specimen. Conclusion: Histopathological PAS technique was found to be more effective than other laboratory methods for the diagnosis of Onychomycosis.

Objective: To determine the potassium hydroxide (KOH) sensitivity for the diagnosis of fungal nail infections. Study Design: Descriptive Case study. Setting: Department of Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur. Period: July 2017 to June 2020. Material & Method: The nail specimen immersed in 20% Potassium hydroxide in Petri dish and incubated aerobically at 37Ć for 1 hours. Upon microscopy, the presence of hyphae or spores that considered the test was positive. Result: Out of three hundred forty clinical screened cases, the sensitivity of KOH mount was 55.29% true positive. Conclusion: KOH mount microscopy is simple and cost-effective techniques to diagnose superficial fungal infections in the primary care and Outpatient settings.