Comparison of Diagnostic Methods in the Evaluation of Onychomycosis

Onychomycosis is a common nail problem, accounting for up to half of all nail diseases. Several nail disorders may mimic the onychomycosis clinically. Therefore, a sensitive, quick, and inexpensive test is essential for screening nail specimens for the administration of the proper drug. The aim of this study was to compare 4 different diagnostic methods in the evaluation of onychomycosis and to determine their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. In a cross-sectional study, nail specimens were collected from 101 patients suspected to have onychomycosis during a 14-month period. The nail specimens were examined using potassium hydroxide (KOH) 20 %, KOH-treated nail clipping stained with periodic acid-Schiff (KONCPA), and calcofluor white (CFW) stain, and grew a fungal culture. The culture was chosen as the gold standard for statistical analysis using the McNemar and chi-square tests. Out of 101 patients, 100 (99 %) patients had at least 1 of the 4 diagnostic methods positive for the presence of organisms. The positive rates for the fungal culture, KOH preparation, CFW, and KONCPA were 74.2, 85.1, 91.09, and 99.01 %, respectively. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of KONCPA was 100 %. KONCPA was the most sensitive among the tests and was also superior to other methods in its negative predictive value. KONCPA was easy to perform, rapid, and gave significantly higher rates of detection of onychomycosis compared to the standard methods of KOH preparation and fungal culture. Therefore, KONCPA should be the single method of choice for the evaluation of onychomycosis.     

Evaluación de la utilidad diagnóstica de la biopsia ungueal en las onicomicosis

BackgroundOnychomycosis affects between 2% to 30% of the world population. Nail biopsy may help in making a diagnosis and can distinguish between invasion and colonisation.AimsTo evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of nail biopsy with Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining for onychomycosis, compared to direct KOH examination, culture and its combination in a reference laboratory in Colombia.MethodsThe study included 66 patients in whom a blind and independent reading of the three tests was performed. The usefulness was defined based on the validity (sensitivity, specificity, Youden's index, likelihood ratios), performance (predictive values) efficiency (proportion of correctly diagnosed patients), and reproducibility (kappa coefficient).ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 55 ± 16 years, and included 76% women. The direct tests with KOH were positive in 66.7% (n = 44), 62.1% (n = 41) were positive with culture, and 56.1% (n = 37) with the biopsy. The main causal agents were non-dermatophytes moulds in 36.4% (n = 24). The most frequent species were Neoscytalidium dimidiatum (n = 11), Trichophyton rubrum (n = 11), and Candida parapsilosis (n = 13). The sensitivity of nail biopsy, when compared to the standard (KOH and/or culture), was 71%, specificity 83%, Youden's index 0.54, positive likelihood ratio 4.25, negative likelihood ratio 0.35, positive predictive value 92%, negative predictive value 52%, efficiency 74% and kappa coefficient 0.45. When biopsy was evaluated only in patients with onycholysis of the nail plate greater than 50%, all the parameters of diagnostic usefulness increased.ConclusionsThe overall usefulness of the biopsy was moderate for patients with more severe symptomatology, which makes its use advisable in cases of extensive onycholysis, and when discriminating colonisation from invasion is required.     

Onychomycosis: Multicentre epidemiological, clinical and mycological study

BackgroundOnychomycosis accounts for up to 50% of all nail disorders. They can be caused by: yeasts, dermatophytes and non-dermatophyte moulds.Objectives and methodsA multicentre study designed to determine the prevalence, mycological test results, aetiological agents, and clinical presentation of onychomycosis was carried out. All fingernail and toenail samples taken during a one year period at 9 diagnostic centres were included.ResultsA total of 5,961 samples were analysed, of which 82.3% were from toenails and 17.7% from fingernails. The mean age of the patients was 49.7 years, and 66% were females. Direct microscopic examination was positive in 61% of the samples. In adults, 61.2% of toenails were positive using potassium hydroxide (KOH), and 43.7% were positive in cultures. The prevailing aetiological agents belong to the dermatophyte group (82.8%), and distal subungual was the most common clinical form. In fingernails, direct examination showed 59.8% positive samples, and cultures were positive in 52.9%. The prevailing agents were yeasts belonging to Candida species, and onycholysis was the most common lesion.ConclusionsDirect mycological examinations were positive in 61%, a higher value than that found in other series. Dermatophytes were prevalent in toenails of both sexes, and in finger nails yeast were prevalent in females, and dermatophytes in males. Non-dermatophyte moulds corresponded to 4.8% of toenail and 2.05% of fingernails isolates.     

Epidemiology of superficial mycosis (tinea pedis, onychomycosis) in elementary school children in Istanbul, Turkey

The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of tinea pedis and onychomycosis in children of elementary school age and to examine the socio-demographic attributes that may be effective in correlation of both mycoses. 3,390 female and 3,768 male children between ages 6-14 have been examined in seven schools. Skin scrapings and nail samples were taken from 13 students who were suspected to have tinea pedis and from 49 students who were suspected to have onychomycosis. According to direct microscopy (10-15% KOH+calcofluor white) and culturel examination (Sabouraud dextrose agar and dermatophyte test medium) 11 students were diagnosed as tinea pedis and 24 were diagnosed as onychomycosis. Trichophyton rubrum was isolated in 3 students with tinea pedis whose culture was positive and five Candida albicans, five Candida glabrata and one Candida tropicalis cases were isolated from 11 samples with onychomycosis. Tinea pedis prevalence has been found to be 3.3%0. Differences between onychomycosis prevalence based on age have been found to be significant (p < 0.001). In conclusion, it has been determined that the prevalence of tinea pedis and onychomycosis among children is low. Candida spp. was isolated from all of the 14 samples diagnosed as onychomycosis. Our study shows similar results with previous studies done in Turkey and that Trichophyton rubrum continues to be the most isolated agent.     

Toenail Onychomycosis in a Portuguese Geriatric Population

Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail but few data of mycological features in geriatric Portuguese population are yet available. The aim of this study was to perform a mycological examination and characterization of fungal nail pattern of a geriatric population from the north of Portugal clinically suspected of onychomycosis. A total of 108 patients attending the Podology Service in the Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave (Portugal) from October 2007 to January 2009 were enrolled. All were suspected of having onychomycosis by the abnormal appearance of their nails. From these, 59.3% were diabetic. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis was the more common clinical pattern followed by total dystrophic onychomycosis. In 21.3% cases, every nail in both feet had an abnormal appearance. In 86%, the hallux was involved in at least one foot. Fifty samples were culture positive, and fifty-four isolates were reported regardless of the questionable pathogenicity of the infectious agent. In three cases, clinical feature of the nail, direct microscopy, and culture were consistent with Scopulariopsis infection. Fusarium spp. were identified in three cases; however, only one isolate was preceded by the observation of branching septate filaments by direct microscopy. No mixed infections with dermatophytes were reported. Trichophyton rubrum was the dermatophyte most frequently isolated (83.3%) followed by Trichophyton interdigitale. In Portugal, onychomycosis is still viewed by general population as a cosmetic condition. Health risk is enhanced in geriatrics that only perceived the severity of their condition when experiencing further foot complications that include bacterial infection and pain.     

血浆内皮素配合描记动态脑电图在儿童晕厥诊断中应用的临床意义

摘要 目的：探究血浆内皮素配合描记动态脑电图在儿童晕厥诊断中的应用意义。方法：选择2017年1月至2020年1月于我院接受治疗的83例存在晕厥风险儿童,采集其静脉血样进行血浆内皮素水平测定,并实施动态脑电图检测,而后以倾斜试验结果为金标准,分别分析单纯血浆内皮素、单纯动态脑电图以及血浆内皮素+动态脑电图对晕厥的诊断应用意义。结果：（1）83例入组儿童中阳性为68例,阴性为15例,血浆内皮素检测阳性51例,阴性32例,一致性为77.11 %,灵敏度为73.53 %,特异度为93.33 %,阳性预测值为98.04 %, 阴性预测值为43.75 %;（2）动态脑电图诊断一致性为78.31 %,灵敏度为80.88 %,特异度为66.67 %,阳性预测值为91.67 %,阴性预测值为43.48 %;（3）联合检测诊断一致性为93.98 %,灵敏度为94.12 %,特异度为93.33 %,阳性预测值为98.46 %,阴性预测值为77.78 %;（4）检测方式差异性比较发现,联合检测在一致性、灵敏度、阴性预测值方面明显优于血浆内皮素和动态脑电图检测,在特异度方面优于动态脑电图检测（P<0.05）。结论：血浆内皮素联合描记动态脑电图对儿童晕厥具有较好的诊断辅助价值,能够显著提高诊断的一致性、灵敏度和特异度。     

Onychomycosis in Malaysia

The common etiological agents of onychomycosis are dermatophytes, molds and yeasts. A mycological nail investigation of onychomycosis using direct microscopy and culture was conducted by the Mycology Unit, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Malaya from March 1996 to November 1998. The study involved 878 nail clippings or subungal scrapings from subjects with onychomycosis. On direct microcopy examination, 50% of the specimens were negative for fungal elements. On culture, 373 specimens had no growth; bacteria were isolated from 15 nail specimens. Among the 490 specimens with positive fungal cultures, 177 (36.1%) were dermatophytes, 173 (35.5%) were molds and 130 (26.5%) were Candida. There were 2% (10/490) mixed infections of molds, yeasts and dermatophytes. Trichophyton rubrum (115/177) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (59/177) were the main dermatophytes isolated. The molds isolated were predominantly Aspergillus niger (61/173), Aspergillus nidulans (30/173), Hendersonula toruloidea (26/173) and Fusarium species (16/173). 96.9% of the Candida species identified were Candida albicans.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of antigen-detecting and antibody-detecting diagnostic test combinations for diagnosing melioidosis

BackgroundMelioidosis, an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic in many tropical developing countries and has a high mortality. Here we evaluated combinations of a lateral flow immunoassay (LFI) detecting B. pseudomallei capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) detecting antibodies against hemolysin co-regulated protein (Hcp1) or O-polysaccharide (OPS) for diagnosing melioidosis.Methodology/Principal findingsWe conducted a cohort-based case-control study. Both cases and controls were derived from a prospective observational study of patients presenting with community-acquired infections and sepsis in northeast Thailand (Ubon-sepsis). Cases included 192 patients with a clinical specimen culture positive for B. pseudomallei. Controls included 502 patients who were blood culture positive for Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae or were polymerase chain reaction assay positive for malaria or dengue. Serum samples collected within 24 hours of admission were stored and tested using a CPS-LFI, Hcp1-ELISA and OPS-ELISA. When assessing diagnostic tests in combination, results were considered positive if either test was positive. We selected ELISA cut-offs corresponding to a specificity of 95%. Using a positive cut-off OD of 2.912 for Hcp1-ELISA, the combination of the CPS-LFI and Hcp1-ELISA had a sensitivity of 67.7% (130/192 case patients) and a specificity of 95.0% (477/502 control patients). The sensitivity of the combination (67.7%) was higher than that of the CPS-LFI alone (31.3%, p<0.001) and that of Hcp1-ELISA alone (53.6%, p<0.001). A similar phenomenon was also observed for the combination of CPS-LFI and OPS-ELISA. In case patients, positivity of the CPS-LFI was associated with a short duration of symptoms, high modified Sequential (sepsis-related) Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, bacteraemia and mortality outcome, while positivity of Hcp1-ELISA was associated with a longer duration of symptoms, low modified SOFA score, non-bacteraemia and survival outcome.Conclusions/SignificanceA combination of antigen-antibody diagnostic tests increased the sensitivity of melioidosis diagnosis over individual tests while preserving high specificity. Point-of-care tests for melioidosis based on the use of combination assays should be further developed and evaluated.     

Sensitivity and specificity of cytodiagnosis of body fluids in a laboratory of urgencies

Abstract

The main purpose for studying cytological body fluids is confirmation of a benign or malignant effusion. Our cytology laboratory analyzes body fluids and results are requested urgently. The samples are stained by the Giemsa and Papanicolaou methods to give a preliminary report, then they are examined by other complementary techniques. Three hundred thirty samples of pleural and peritoneal fluids were studied to compare the sensitivity of Papanicolaou and Giemsa stains. AgNOR assay, immunocytochemistry and assessment of ploidy were used to improve the sensitivity of the cytodiagnosis. Two hundred one samples were positive, 84 negative and 45 inconclusive using the Papanicolaou stain, while 135 samples were positive, 72 negative and 123 inconclusive using Giemsa stain. The sensitivity was 79%, 53% and 83% for Papanicolaou, Giemsa, and both techniques together, respectively. Using complementary techniques, the sensitivity reached 95% for AgNOR, 87% for tumor markers (panel), and 92% for Ploidy. There were no false positive in our series; therefore specificity was 100%. The use of both Papanicolaou and Giemsa in conjunction increased the sensitivity of the cytodiagnosis in body fluids. The complementary methods, especially AgNOR assay and assessment of ploidy, diminished the number of inconclusive cases.     

Onychomycosis by common non-dermatophyte moulds

Between 1990 and 2000, The Medical Mycology Laboratory at University of Antioquia (Medellín, Colombia), attended 4621 patients, with nail dystrophies. We used the direct test and culture of nail samples for diagnostic purposes. This report includes 310 patients, 7% (310/4621), with positive cultures for the same non-dermathophyte fungi, in five or more places of inoculation. From the 310 positive cultures, 284 (92%) were positive in direct test. No characteristic morphology for any of the genera could be detected. Until 1989 we had an average of 9 cases per year and between 1990 and 2000 we found 28 cases per year (an increase of 211%). The implicated genera were: Fusarium 50%, Nattrassia 31%, Aspergillus and Dendrophoma 7% each, Penicillium and Scopulariopsis contributed with 2% each, and Acremonium was found in less of 1% of cases. The general prevalence of onychomycosis due to non-dermatophytic fungi was about 12,4% between 1990-2000. This report describes the main epidemiological characteristics found, comparing them with results from other authors, and defines the basic profile of affected patients: adults (31-40 years old) who use occlusive shoes (trainers) and practice sport, which predispose to hyperhydrosis and consequently to onychomycosis. The course of the disease takes in average 30 months in both sexes. The percentage of onychomycosis found was 62% for women and 38% for men.     

同型半胱氨酸和红细胞体积分布宽度变异系数联合检测对急性心肌梗死的诊断价值

目的:探讨同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)和红细胞体积分布宽度变异系数(RDW CV)联合检测对急性心肌梗死(AMI)的诊断价值。方法:收集我院2012年1月到2013年6月冠心病患者300例,其中心绞痛121例、缺血性心力衰竭65例、AMI例114例。同期收集我院体检正常者100例为对照组,利用全自动细胞分析仪和免疫法分别测定Hcy和RDW CV,分析二者联合对AMI诊断价值。结果:Hcy与RDW CV水平在四组的差别具有统计学意义(P0.05),其中AMI组中Hcy与RDW CV水平明显高于其他三组水平,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);Hcy、RDW CV以及二者联合诊断AMI组阳性率之间差别具有统计学意义(P0.05),对对照组的检测阳性率差异无统计学意义(P0.05);Hcy单独检测灵敏度和特异度分别为68.42%、86.00%,RDW CV单独检测灵敏度和特异度分别为64.91%、84.00%,联合检测灵敏度和特异度分别为83.33%、93.00%,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05),联合检测的一致率、阳性预测值、阴性预测值分别为87.85%、93.14%、83.04%。结论:Hcy联合RDW CV诊断AMI具有相对较高的灵敏度、特异度、一致率、阳性预测值和阴性预测值。     

弹性成像定量分析联合硬环征在甲状腺良恶性结节鉴别诊断中的应用价值分析

目的:探究弹性定量分析联合硬环征在甲状腺良恶性结节鉴别诊断中的应用价值。方法:回顾性分析2018年1月至2018年9月于我院行手术或穿刺活检病理证实的121例甲状腺结节患者临床资料,所有患者均行弹性成像定量分析以及剪切波弹性成像(SWE)分析,计算弹性成像定量分析、SWE分析以及联合检测,以病理检查结果为金标准(良性78个,恶性43个),对甲状腺良恶性结节诊断的敏感性、特异度、准确性、阳性预测值以及阴性预测值,分别绘制弹性成像定量分析、SWE以及联合检测的受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线,并比较ROC曲线下面积。结果:(1)弹性定量分析诊断良性结节87个,恶性34个,敏感性73.08%,特异度30.23%,阳性预测值65.51%,阴性预测值38.24%;(2)SWE分析良性结节76个,恶性结节45个,敏感性64.10%,特异度39.53%,阳性预测值65.79%,阴性预测值37.78%;(3)联合检测良性结节73个,恶性结节48个,敏感性89.74%,特异度93.02%,阳性预测值95.89%,阴性预测值83.33%;(4)联合检测敏感性、特异度、阳性预测值及阴性预测值均高于单独检测(P 0.05);(5)弹性成像定量分析、SWE及联合检测ROC曲线下面积分别为0.843、0.819、0.940,联合检测准确率高于单一检测(P0.05);SWE分析甲状腺良恶性结节的弹性模量值Emean、Emin、Emax、Esd、Emean-p及Emean-m均显著大于恶性结节(P 0.05)。结论:弹性成像定量分析联合硬环征检测能够显著提高对甲状腺结节良恶性病变的诊断敏感性及特异度,具有较高的临床应用价值。     

宫颈特殊染色法、液基薄层细胞学及人乳头瘤病毒检测对宫颈癌前病变的应用价值分析

目的:探讨宫颈特殊染色法(FRD)、液基薄层细胞学(TCT)及人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)检测对宫颈癌前病变筛查的应用价值。方法:选取2015年1月～2018年1月于我院行宫颈癌筛查的1794例妇女作为研究对象,所有研究对象均接受FRD、TCT、HPV检测,以经阴道镜取样活检结果为阳性标准,对比分析三种不同检测方法以及联合检测的诊断效能。结果:病理科活检检出阳性111例,检出率为6.19%;FDR检测检出阳性114例,检出率为6.35%,漏诊率为16.22%;TCT检测检出阳性115例,检出率为6.41%,漏诊率为19.82%;HPV检测检出阳性108例,检出率为6.02%,漏诊率为19.82%;FRD检测与TCT、HPV检测的检出率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。FRD检测敏感度为83.78%,特异度为98.75%,阳性预测值为81.58%,阴性预测值为98.93%;TCT检测敏感度为80.18%,特异度为98.46%,阳性预测值为77.39%,阴性预测值为98.69%;HPV检测敏感度为80.18%,特异度为98.87%,阳性预测值为82.41%,阴性预测值为98.70%;FRD、TCT、HPV联合检测敏感度为93.69%,特异度为99.52%,阳性预测值为92.86%,阴性预测值为99.58%;FRD、TCT、HPV联合检测与FRD、TCT、HPV单独检测的敏感度、阳性预测值比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:FRD、TCT、HPV检测对宫颈癌前病变的诊断效能相当,而FRD、TCT、HPV联合检测的诊断效能优于各方法单独检测。     

A Review of Onychomycosis Due to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus</Emphasis> Species

Aspergillus spp. are emerging causative agents of non-dermatophyte mould onychomycosis (NDMO). New Aspergillus spp. have recently been described to cause nail infections. The following criteria are required to diagnose onychomycosis due to Aspergillus spp.: (1) positive direct microscopy and (2) repeated culture or molecular detection of Aspergillus spp., provided no dermatophyte was isolated. A review of 42 epidemiological studies showed that onychomycosis due to Aspergillus spp. varies between < 1 and 35% of all cases of onychomycosis in the general population and higher among diabetic populations accounting for up to 71% and the elderly; it is very uncommon among children and adolescence. Aspergillus spp. constitutes 7.7–100% of the proportion of NDMO. The toenails are involved 25 times more frequently than fingernails. A. flavus, A. terreus and A. niger are the most common aetiologic species; other rare and emerging species described include A. tubingensis, A. sydowii, A. alliaceus, A. candidus, A. versicolor, A. unguis, A. persii, A. sclerotiorum, A. uvarum, A. melleus, A. tamarii and A. nomius. The clinical presentation of onychomycosis due to Aspergillus spp. is non-specific but commonly distal–lateral pattern of onychomycosis. A negative culture with a positive KOH may point to a NDM including Aspergillus spp., as the causative agent of onychomycosis. Treatment consists of systemic therapy with terbinafine or itraconazole.     

Non-computer-assisted liquid-based cytology for diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

The development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) occasionally follows the neoplastic progression of other premalignant lesions. Although biopsy is the definitive diagnostic method, liquid-based cytology is an adequate method for screening suspicious lesions. We compared liquid-based cytology to histology for diagnosis of OSCC in patients with oral lesions that raised clinical suspicion of malignancy. Our sample consisted of 48 patients. Cytological samples were obtained by scraping the lesion superficially using Cytobrush^®. We conducted cytological and histopathological evaluation of all preparations. We estimated sensitivity and specificity levels as well as positive and negative predictive values. The degree of inter-observer agreement for both methods was assessed using the kappa index. Twenty-eight (58.3%) of the cases finally were diagnosed with OSCC and 20 (41.7%) were determined to be premalignant lesions. We observed eight false negatives and no false positives; OSCC prevalence was 56.5%. The values for diagnostic indices were: sensitivity, 69% (CI 95%, prevalence 51.87); specificity, 100%; positive predictive value, 100%; negative predictive value, 71% (CI 95% 54.82). A kappa index of 0.622 (CI 95% 0.93, 0.39) was observed.     

Onychomycosis in Rome,Italy

This report presents the results of a study conducted between 1985 and 1994 on onychomycosis observed in the city of Rome. Six thousand six hundred and eighty eight patients were examined during this period. Among them 1,762 (26.3%) were affected by fungal nail infections. Because the etiologic agents could not be isolated in 105 cases (6%), the results refer to 1,657 subjects (24.8% of the total), presenting with positive microscopic and cultural examinations. Thirty eight patients (2.3%) had onychomycosis of both their hands and feet.From an etiological point of view, 59.1% of the nail infections were caused by yeasts, 23.2% were infected with dermatophytes and 17.6% by non-dermatophytic fungi. The etiology of onychomycosis of the hands differed from that of the feet. Yeasts were primarily responsible for onychomycosis of the hands (86.2%), while dermatophytes caused tinea unguium peduum (48%). Fungal fingernail infections by Candida spp. were the most common (50.3%), followed by those of the feet by dermatophytes (20%). Candida albicans was responsible for 70.6% of the hand infections but for only 15.9% of those of the feet. Trichophyton rubrum and T mentagrophytes were the most common dermatophytes, mainly causing toenail infections (23.4% and 21%, respectively), while Aspergillus spp., Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Acremonium spp. and Aspergillus niger were the most common non-dermatophytes observed.With regard to sex, the fungal nail infections were more widespread in women (72.1%) and in subjects of both sexes over the age of 50.     

Onychomycosis and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tinea Pedis</Emphasis> in Athletes from the State of Rio Grande Do Sul (Brazil): A Cross-Sectional Study

Onychomycosis and tinea pedis are common superficial infections caused primarily by dermatophytes. The aim of this investigation was to study the epidemiology, etiological agents, and potential risk factors for infection based on comparison of athletes and non-athletes from a northern region of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Each group consisted of 100 male individuals with ages ranging from 18 to 40 years. After a clinical examination, samples were taken from individuals presenting signs of onychomycosis and/or tinea pedis for direct microscopic examination and culture. Among the athletes, the frequency of onychomycosis and/or tinea pedis was 32%, and for the control group, it was 20%. The athletes presented 16% of onychomycosis, 12% of tinea pedis, and 4% of onychomycosis and tinea pedis together. The distribution in the control group was 10% of onychomycosis, 7% of tinea pedis, and 3% of this association. The pathogens identified were dermatophytes (84.8%) and yeasts (15.2%), and the most commonly identified organism was Trichophyton rubrum, followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale. No significant differences were found when the frequency of species distribution in the athletes and non-athlete groups was compared. Risk factors for onychomycosis in athletes included familial cases of fungal infection, contact with domestic animals, and nail trauma, while the risk factors in non-athletes included the habit of not using sandals in public bathrooms and nail trauma. For tinea pedis, the habit of not using sandals in public bathrooms was a predisposing factor in both groups, while hyperhydrosis was a risk factor only in non-athletes. This study concludes that despite the higher number of fungal infections in athletes, there is no significant difference between these groups.     

预警症状对结直肠癌的诊断效能研究

目的:明确预警症状(腹部包块、便秘、排便习惯改变、腹泻、肛周异物感、长期腹痛、便血或肛门出血)对结直肠癌的诊断效能。方法:收集我院2016年1月至2016年12月的结肠镜检查数据,计算各个预警症状的诊断敏感度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值、阳性似然比和阴性似然比。结果:预警症状总的诊断敏感度和特异度分别是6.63%和94.33%。所有的预警症状诊断敏感度最高的是便血,敏感度为19.28%,最低的是腹泻,敏感度为2.41%。相对而言,便血和长期腹痛的准确度较高,分别达到了19.28%和11.45%。除了长期腹痛之外,其他所有的预警症状的诊断特异度都达到了90%以上。结论:超过一半的结直肠癌患者没有出现预警症状,用预警症状来诊断结直肠癌具有较低的敏感度和较高的特异度,需要更多的研究来证明预警症状的临床意义。     

Non-dermatophytic Molds as Agents of Onychomycosis in Izmir,Turkey – A Prospective Study

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of causative non-dermatophytic filamentous fungi in onychomycosis. Totally 1,222 (1,222 × 3 = 3,666) samples of nail scrapings from 1,146 patients (from 76 patients two specimens: both from finger- and toe-nails) with prediagnosis of onychomycosis sent to the Mycology Laboratory from the Clinic of Dermatology, Ege University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey, July 2001–December 2003, were prospectively studied with conventional mycological procedures. The set criteria for the diagnosis of onychomycosis due to non-dermatophytic molds were: (1) Observation of fungal elements in 15% KOH-preparations made from nail scrapings, (2) growth of the same mold in all three consecutive cultures of the specimens taken three times from the same patient with one-week intervals, (3) no growth of a dermatophyte or yeast in three consecutive cultures. As agents of onychomycosis molds were detected in 33 (9%), dermatophytes in 175 (48%), yeasts in 150 (41%), and mixed (two different fungi) in 8 (2%) patients. In cases of mold onychomycosis, 11 (33%) had finger-nail and 22 (67%) toe-nail infection; 25 (76%) were female and 8 (24%) male; and 27 (82%) were above 40 years of age. The agents of mold onychomycosis, in order of frequency, were Aspergillus niger (7), Acremonium spp. (6), Fusarium spp. (6), Ulocladium spp. (4), sterile mycelia (2), Alternaria sp. (1), Aspergillus flavus (1), Aspergillus fumigatus (1), Aspergillus terreus (1), Cladosporium sp. (1), Paecilomyces spp. (1), Scopulariopsis sp. (1) and Trichoderma sp. (1). In conclusion, this study showed that non-dermatophytic molds were responsible for nearly 10% of onychomycoses cases attending the dermatology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Since molds are common contaminants in the laboratory, cultures from consecutively taken nail scrapings should be made and carefully evaluated in order to diagnose a “mold onychomycosis”.