Members do not see these Ads.
Sign Up .
Medscape have just published this (free registration required to access)Viewpoints Factors Influencing Coexistence of Toenail Onychomycosis With Tinea Pedis and Other Dermatomycoses: A survey of 2761 Patients Summary
Onychomycosis accounts for roughly one half of all nail complaints evaluated by dermatologists.[1] In this prospective European study, Szepietowski and colleagues (the Onychomycosis Epidemiology Study Group) surveyed 241 dermatologists to identify a total of 2761 patients with toenail onychomycosis (mean age, 49 years; 54.9% female). Demographic and clinical data regarding these patients were gathered in Poland between September 2004 and April 2005.
Click to expand...
Viewpoint
In this prospective analysis, the extent of toenail onychomycosis, duration of infection, and presence of recurrent disease were the 3 strongest predictors of fungal skin infections at other sites. As might be expected, tinea pedis was the most common site of concomitant fungal infection, followed by fingernail onychomycosis. Although caution should always be taken when extrapolating data from one geographic region (in this case, Poland) to another, comparable North American studies have revealed similar findings.[2,3] The investigators speculate that toenail onychomycosis represents an infectious reservoir from which distant sites can be seeded. Effective eradication of fungal pathogens such as dermatophytes from this "pedal reservoir"[4] may be the only way to prevent chronic fungal infections at other skin sites.
Click to expand...