4043. Screening for pathogenic fungi (nails)

Microscopy identificates the fungal structures in samples (mycelium, pseudomycelium, spores, yeasts) taken from affected areas of skin, hair, or nails. Screening for pathogenic fungi confirms the presence of a fungal infection. Differentiation between different fungal species is not performed in this study.

Pathogenic fungi cause various skin conditions. Most of them can persist on the skin and its appendages for a long time as opportunistic microflora. Diseases develop only when the immune system is weakened.

Scalp infections by pathogenic fungi manifest as flaking, dandruff, hyperemia, itching, and even hair loss. Symptoms of skin fungal infections include itching, redness, peeling, and scaling.

On nails, fungi cause deformation, thickening of the nail plate, discoloration, and peeling.

Pathogenic fungi can be divided into 4 groups:

• keratomycoses – parasitize the skin and hair and cause erythrasma, pityriasis versicolor, nodular trichosoporia, and axillary tricomycosis;
• epidermomycoses – affect the skin and nails – inguinal athlete's foot, candidiasis, and athlete's foot;
• trichomycosis – causes hair and nail damage and penetrates deep into the hair follicles (scab, trichophytosis, and microsporia);
• deep dermatomycosis – parasitizes deep into the skin (sporotrichosis, actinomycosis, chromomycosis, etc.).

Due to the nonspecificity of clinical manifestations, microscopic examination of biopsy specimens from the body areas likely affected is most appropriate for establishing a definitive diagnosis of mycoses.

Differentiation of various fungal species is not performed in this study.

• For signs of fungal hair and scalp infections (flaking, itching, dull appearance, and hair loss).
• For differential diagnosis of fungal and other hair and scalp infections.

• Hair/skin/nails for pathogenic fungi