Ahmad Aliyu1, *, Oladele Olatunbosun Mabekoje1, Baba John1, Yakubu Manbe Mohammed2, Elizabeth Adetobi Kuranga3, Gbamila Emmanuel Oluwaseun3, Afolabi Victor Oladimeji3, and Kamaldeen Abdulkareem Babaita4
1Department of Microbiology, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria
2Department of Biology, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria
3Science Laboratory Technology, Harvard Polytechnic, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
4Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria
*Corresponding author’s Email: sheikahmadrufai@gmail.com, doi.org/10.55639/607.02010096
ABSTRACT
Onychomycosis is an arthropophilic fungal infection of the nail plate, nail bed, and nail folds caused by yeasts, dermatophytes, and non-dermatophyte moulds. Frequent sharing of household materials such as bedding, nail tools, and footwear may facilitate transmission of the disease. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of onychomycosis and characterize its aetiological agents, infection site distribution, and some patient socio-demographic status. A total of 303 consecutive patients with clinically suspected onychomycosis attending Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, were enrolled. Nail scrapings were collected aseptically and subjected to potassium hydroxide (KOH) for direct microscopy and culture on Saboroud Dextrose Agar (SDA) supplemented with 0.05 mg/mL of streptomycin to inhibit bacterial growth. KOH positivity was 74.92% (227/303) and culture positive was 70.63% (214/303). The predominate isolates were were non-dermatophyte moulds (70.09%), followed by dermatophytes (25.23%) and yeasts (4.67%). Males demonstrated a slightly higher prevalence (71.64%) compared to females (68.63%), the difference was not statistically significant. There was no statistically association between age group and Onychomycosis. The distribution of onychomycosis across infection site shows higher prevalence in toenails (73.86%) compared to fingernails (66.32%). Distal and Lateral Subungual onychomycosis (DLSO) was the most common clinical type with 181 cases, accounting for the majority of clinical presentation. These findings highlight the importance of combined mycological culture and KOH microscopy for diagnosis and the predominance of non-dermatophyte moulds as aetiological agents in the study population.
KEYWORDS
Dermatophytes,
Onychomycosis,
Saboroud
Dextrose Agar,
Prevalence.
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