A Population-based Study of Toenail Onychomycosis in Israeli Children |
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Authors: | VERA LEIBOVICI,M.D.,RUTH EVRON,PH.D.,MILKA DUNCHIN,M.D.,M.P.H.,&dagger ,MARIA WESTERMAN,ARIEH INGBER,M.D. |
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Affiliation: | Department of Dermatology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel;, School of Public Health Hadassah University Hospital and the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel |
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Abstract: | Abstract: Onychomycosis is widespread in the adult population, but considered to be rare in children. A number of studies in recent years show a rise in the prevalence of toenail onychomycosis in children. Of these, only a few were population-based. Here, we present a comprehensive cross-sectional population-based survey of toenail onychomycosis in primary school children in Israel. The survey included 1148 children, 598 boys, and 550 girls aged 5 to 14 from primary schools in the Jerusalem vicinity. Each child underwent a physical examination and completed a personal questionnaire, which provided background information of predisposing factors. The survey shows a prevalence of 0.87% of toenail onychomycosis. Although this figure is too small for statistical analysis, some important conclusions could be drawn: prevalence increased with age: boy/girl ratio was 2.2; the dominant etiologic agent was Trichophyton rubrum followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida albicans . Infections were probably transferred from adults via the environment to children. Infected children came from different socio-economic backgrounds. This condition should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nail diseases in children. |
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