ABSTRACT
Onychomycosis is mostly caused by dermatophytes, yeast, and non-dermatophyte molds (NDM); each accounts for approximately 10% of onychomycosis infections worldwide.
Diagnosis of NDM-caused onychomycosis is a challenge, since the NDM are found in non-mycotic nail disorders and it is very important not to interpret the mycological significance in those cases.
In addition, clinical presentation of NDM onychomycosis cannot be distinguished from that of dermatophyte onychomycosis, though some typical forms are common.
Therefore, NDM onychomycosis cannot be diagnosed based on clinical presentation alone and diagnostic criteria have been suggested.
Systemic treatment with oral azoles including Itraconazole and Fluconazole and oral allylamines represented by Terbinafine is the common therapy. While efficacy rates of these drugs have been established for dermatophyte and yeast onychomycosis, there is a paucity of data and contradictory results regarding the treatment of NDM onychomycosis.
