Fungi and the Nails

Fungal nail infections are incredibly common. The most common fungal pathogens of the nails are dermatophytes, but yeasts and non-dermatophyte molds can be implicated as well. Both the fungal species and their mechanism of invasion are major determinants of clinical presentation. The most common pattern of fungal invasion is distal lateral subungual onychomycosis (DLSO). Keratin invasion is an important part of initiating and establishing a fungal nail infection. Unfortunately, the exact mechanisms are still not fully understood.