Epidemiological survey of onychomycoses in Barcelona

From May 1986 to September 1993, 638 ungueal samples with presumptive diagnosis of onychomycoses were studied at the Mycological Laboratory of Hospital del Mar (1986-1990) and at the Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica (1991-1993). 55'4% of those samples were positive, being 94% of them positive by culture and 80% by microscopical examination. Dermatophytes were isolated in 31% of cases, mainly from toe nails; Trichophyton rubrum was the most prevalent species (20%); Trichophyton mentagrophytes constituted the 9% of ail isolates. Candida sp were cultured in 61.5% of the nail samples, specially from finger nails in women. Candida parapsilosis (26,5%) and Candida albicans (19%) were the predominant species. Opportunistic moulds were found in 7.6% of the samples, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (4.8%) being the most important species, although Aspergillus versicolor were observed in 2.5% of isolations. Females were affected more frequently than males and the higher incidence of onychomycoses was found in women more than 50 years old. Cultures are necessary in order to indicate an accurate treatment and to know the distribution of etiological agents.