Who Gets Nail Fungus and What Is It?

Because nail fungus is extremely stubborn and hard to treat, it’s important to know what causes it so you can avoid it.

Even if you have nail fungus right now, knowing what to avoid helps treat it.

That’s why a new study in International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research is so important.

It reveals exactly which fungi causes nail fungus and where you get it.

The study involved 113 patients who visited a Dermatology Outpatient department and were clinically suspected of having nail fungus.

The researchers obtained a detailed history from each of their subjects and acquired nail clippings that they then tested for microbes.

In terms of the responsible organisms, the study found that Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the predominant fungus, responsible for 45.7% of cases. This was closely followed by Trichophyton rubrum, which accounted for 40.6%.

Collectively, dermatophytes (fungi also responsible for athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm) were the leading cause, implicated in 86.4% of the cases. Non-dermatophyte molds contributed to 3.3%, and yeasts were identified as the agents in 10.1% of cases.

The study also examined the location of the infection. A majority, 78.7% of cases, had the disease limited to their fingernails. Toenail infections accounted for 18.5%, while a small percentage (2.6%) had both fingernail and toenail infections.

Regarding the risk factors, the scientists found numerous.

1. The most affected age group was 21–40 years, accounting for 53.9% of the cases.

2. Males were more frequently affected than females, with a distribution of 60.1 and 39.8%, respectively.

3. Certain occupations posed a higher risk. From this study group 24.7% were farmers, 19.4% were students, and housewives comprised 16.8% of the cases.

4. Trauma to the nails was found to be a significant risk factor, present in 36.2% of cases, highlighting the role of physical injury in the development of the condition.

5. The wearing of closed-toed footwear was present in 15.9% of cases.

6. 13.2% of the patients had diabetes.

This study basically confirms what is already known about the causes of nail fungus. The organisms most responsible are ones that thrive in warm, moist areas, which is why infections are common in people who work with moist soil, work in water, and wear closed-toed shoWho Gets Nail Fungus and What Is It?
es.

Animals also tend to carry dermatophytes, which is why farmers are particularly vulnerable. Students are probably affected because of the close, communal spaces in which they live and shower.

Fortunately, there is now a way to eliminate nail fungus naturally using what’s called a two-punch approach—learn all the details here…