Onychomycosis in Morocco: experience of the parasitology and medical mycology laboratory from Rabat children hospital (1982-2003)

Cases of onychomycosis diagnosed by mycological examination in the parasitology and mycology laboratory (Children Hospital, Rabat, Marocco) over the 22-year period, between 1982 and 2003, have been reviewed. 17,177 dermatophytes have been isolated in 4,940 patients. Dermatophytes presented 61.46% of onychomycosis, yeasts Candida albicans were responsible in 25.5%, moulds in 1.53% and for 12% fungi identification was not determined (positive direct examination or negative direct examination and culture despite typical clinical aspect). The most frequent dermatophyte was Trichophyton rubrum (83.6%), followed by Trichophyton violaceum var. glabrum (9%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (6.9%). Candida albicans was the prevalent yeast. Moulds were mainly Fusarium spp. (47%), followed Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (16%) and Aspergillus spp. (12%). Dermatophytes and moulds most commonly infected the toenails, yeasts the fingernails.