Pictures of Toenail Fungus, based on causative agents
Whether we can distinguish the cause of infection from viewing pictures toenail fungus? Although most are caused by Trichophyton rubrum, infection of the toenail can also be caused by various other fungal species. We really need to identify the causes of yeast infection because each species has a different susceptibility to the drug. For toenail fungus medication to work effectively, we must be able to distinguish the cause of the infection from the clinical picture and laboratory.
Each species of fungus, nail fungus produces a typical clinical picture. This certainly will help us in estimating the fungi species that cause infection of the nail. At the time of limited laboratory facilities, we can estimate the species of fungi that cause these infections so that they can choose the right medicine to kill the fungus.
One type of fungus that often infects nails are Fusarium species. Fusarium solani often infect humans and cause several diseases such as keratitis, ophtalmitis, mycetoma, and toenail fungus. Previously, these fungal species are opportunistic organisms that infect the immunocompromised person. However, today Fusarium also often infect patients who are immunocompetent. If infecting toenail, Fusarium often cause picture of brown nail discoloration. This fungus also causes thickening of the nail tip (distal thickening).
In the immunocompromised, the fungus is easier to infect. Several species of fungi reported to cause toenail fungus in patients with HIV. Chaetomium species is one of the fungi that commonly cause nail fungus infection in HIV patients. Infection by this species often cause picture of a thick nail plate and Yellowish discolouration in the second and third toenails. Other species, Aspergillus flavus, a species that rarely cause nail fungus. However, there are several cases of nail fungus in HIV patients caused by this species. This species causes nail fungus with whitish discoloration of the proximal nail plate with brittleness.
Trichophyton interdigitale is the commonest causative agent of White Superficial Onychomycosis. However, research in Taiwan found a rare case of nail fungus. Fungi infection caused by Trichophyton verrucosum. Besides causing a white discoloration, this species also cause a picture of Chalky, opaque, white, friable patches on fingernail plates.
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