Detection of some newTrichosporonspecies from the dystrophied nails of three female members of a family from North Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Dermatophytes are considered as the main pathogens responsible for onychomycosis, but recently successive isolations of yeast-like fungi from the infected nails has led to consider these also as primary agents of nail infections. Trichosporon species which are non-candidal, basidiomycetous, yeast-like, anamorphic fungi are commonly isolated from soil but they are also emerging as important etiological agents of onychomycosis. Three species of Trichosporon viz., T. asahii, T. asteroides and T. faecale were isolated from the infected nails of three female members of a family from district Doda of Jammu and Kashmir State. Among the isolated species of Trichosporon, T. asahii was recovered from the nail samples of all the three members, thus confirming its recognition as a main pathogenic species of onychomycosis. So far, there is no report of T. asteroides and T. faecale causing onychomycosis and hence they constitute new additions to the list of onychomycotic fungi. Some of the predisposing factors like low socio-economic condition, poor hygiene, frequent exposure of finger nails to water and dirt, climatic conditions and nail trauma were observed to be the main causes of nail infection in these patients. However, a link between the pathogenic genus and the genetic makeup of the patients is also probable.

Prevalence of onychomycosis among diabetic population of District Doda (UT of J&K, India) - a five year survey

“…Among the non-dermatophytes, 12 yeast-like fungal species and 28 lamentous fungal species were isolated from the dystrophied nails of diabetic patients, thus showing a prevalence rate of 26.7% and 62.2% respectively. This indicates that non-dermatophytes, which are keratinophilic soil-borne opportunist fungal species invade the nails of a person whose body immune system is compromised, become pathogenic and cause dystrophies by invading fresh keratinized tissues of the nail [11,32,33,34,35].…”