Onychomycosis Caused by Fusarium Oxysporum

Abstract

In Auckland during the past five years Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht has been consistently isolated by one of the authors (F.M.R-M.) from milky lesions on great toe nails. A few reports of similar infections have been recorded elsewhere, but from observations on over 50 cases it is possible to recognize that this fungus in man produces a highly characteristic type of onychomycosis.The occurrence in nature of Fusarium species, clinical appearance and treatment, isolation and identification of F. oxysporum and possibie mode of infection are discussed.

Onychomycosis caused by Fusarium proliferatum

“…[1][2][3] Onychomycosis is usually caused by F. solani or F. oxysporum. [4][5][6][7][8] Other Fusarium species are rarely found in onychomycosis. We report the first two cases of onychomycosis caused by F. proliferatum.…”

“…Fusarium infections in humans are usually opportunistic, but the fungus sometimes infects the eyes or nails of healthy persons, causing keratomycosis or onychomycosis 1–3 . Onychomycosis is usually caused by F. solani or F. oxysporum 4–8 . Other Fusarium species are rarely found in onychomycosis.…”

An epidemiologic study of the fungal skin flora among the elderly in Alexandria

“…The presence of such organisms has special importance since it can cause infection of nails (Campell et al 1973) and in patients with deficient cell mediated immunity, it can spread to other parts of the body such as the face (Liautaud & Marill, 1984). In UK, Hay & Moore (1984) the toe nails and finger nails (English, 1968;Rush-Munro et al 1971 Table 2 that there was no significant difference between the sexes as regards fungal isolates. This was in agreement with Somerville (1969) who stated that only in the young adults was the normal cutaneous flora influenced by sex.…”

Les onychomycoses à moisissures

“…Cette avulsion chimique nous paraît préférable au fraisage et à l'avulsion chirurgicale. Ce traitement sera suivi de l'application d'antiseptiques et d'antimicotiques du type pimaricine ou éconazole [Ritchie et Pinkerton, 1959;Franks et a i, 1956;Blasclike et Hell messen, 1968;Liautaud et a i, 1971;Rush-Munro et aL, 1971;Grigoriu et Grigoriu, 1975;Bazex et aL, 1977],…”

“…Les observations d'onychomycoses à moisissures concernent, par ordre de fréquence, le Scopulariopsis hrevicauUs [Martin-Scott, 1954;Cairns et Close, 1955;Franks et al, 1956;Hitriez et a i, 1963: Beisan et Fragner, 1965Schönhorn et Schmoranzer, 1970;Liautaud et a!., 1971;Bazex et a!., 1977], Y Hendersonida toruloidea [Gentles et Evans, 1970;Kurwa et Campbell, 1972;Campbell et al, 1973], les diverses espèces d'Aspergillus [Bereston et Keil, 1941 ;Berest on et Waring, 1946;Moore et Weiss, 1948;Paldrok et Hollström, 1952;Kaben, 1962;Walslte et English, 1966;Zaias, 1966;Rosenthal et ai, 1968;Schönborn et Schmoranzer, 1970], VAlternaría tenuis [Bottischer, 1965;Delacrétaz et a!., 1970], le Ccphalosporium [Thiers et Coudert, 1955;Zaias, 1966], le Fusarium oxysporum [Ritchie et Pinkerton, 1959;Rush-Munro et al, 1971 ;Zaias, 1966]. Des observations isolées concernent Arthroderma tuber culatum [Blomqvist, 1969], Botryodiplodia theobromae [Restrepo et al, 1976], Phyllostictina sydow [Gip et Paldrok, 1967], Pseudeurotium ovalis [English et ai, 1967], un basidiomycète [Kligman, 1950], Pyrenochaeta unguis -hominis sp.…”