Epidemiology and Pathology of Onychomycoses

Abstract

Onychomycoses occur throughout the world but there are regional differences in incidence. Precise data as to their incidence are not available [25]. Onychomycoses have increased enormously in the last 80 years, both absolutely and relatively (Table 1). Socio-cultural and occupational factors play an important part. In rural areas in Zaire, the incidence was found to be 0.89%, whereas in city-dwellers it was 4% in men and 2.8% in women [22]. Other authors have found an incidence of 2%–13% [20, 23]. Fungal infections of the nails have been reported in 6.5%–27% of miners [9, 21]. Some 1.5% of all patients attending dermatologic centers have an onychomycosis [4].