ORIGINAL: Onychomycosis in Diabetics: Prevalence, Clinical Features and Spectrum of Causative Fungi in South-Eastern Nigeria

West Afr J Med April 2024; 41(4):363-371 PMID: 39002161

Abstract

Introduction: Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail unit and one of the common nail diseases that occurs commonly in diabetic patients. It poses a threat of diabetic foot complications to diabetics and negatively affects the quality of life of the patients.

Objectives: The overall aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and clinical features of onychomycosis in diabetics, as well as the spectrum of causative fungi in Nigeria as compared with age and sex-matched controls.

Methodology: This was a hospital-based, comparative cross-sectional study. One hundred and fifty consecutive adult diabetics and 150 healthy controls (accompanied persons and staff) matched for age and sex were recruited from the Diabetic Clinics and the Dermatology Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla. The participants were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire, nail scrapings were collected for fungal studies, and clippings for nail histopathology using Periodic Acid Schiff.

Results: The prevalence of onychomycosis among DM subjects was 45.3% vs. 35.3% in controls, which was not statistically significant (P value 0.078). Distal-lateral subungual onychomycosis was the most common clinical type in both study groups and presented mainly with nail discolouration, onycholysis, and subungual hyperkeratosis. The most common fungi isolated were dermatophytes (Trichophyton soudanense), non-dermatophytes (Aspergillus spp.), and Candida species (Candida albicans).

Conclusion: Onychomycosis in diabetics is a very common nail disorder in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria with a high prevalence. The presence of foot ulcers was associated with onychomycosis in diabetics, and they were more likely to have non-dermatophytic onychomycosis.