Onychomycosis in Older Patients

Onychomycosis represents the most frequent nail disorder. Its prevalence is influenced by gender, age and several comorbid diseases. Accurate diagnosis relies on laboratory examination, particularly nail histomycology. This method refers to the microscopic examination of histological sections prepared from nail clippings for the purpose of detecting the presence of invading fungi. The pathogens may belong to one or a combination of the groups of dermatophytes, yeasts or nondermatophyte molds. The choice of the diagnostic laboratory method influences the accuracy of the information. Histomycology is recognized to be the most sensitive and specific method. The prevalence of onychomycosis in the elderly population varies according to gender and the nature of the fungal pathogen. Epidemiological figures differ according to the nature of the reference population. In particular, it is of the utmost importance to establish the ratio between the raw numbers of onychomycoses and the total number of individuals in the same age group living in the same geographical area.