Nail fungus is caused by various fungal organisms (fungi). Common clinical symptoms include nail discoloration, thick and raised nail, separation of the nail from nail bed, splitting of the nail plate, and nail plate destruction. Potential complications include pain, transmission of fungal infection to other body sites, and in immunocompromised patients, bacterial cellulitis. Some fungal infection can be benign while some can be dangerous for patients who are diabetic. An untreated fungal infection can lead to serious complications or even amputation. Molecular detection of such fungal disease is much faster than the traditional culturing method since these particular microbes are hard to culture. Multiplex RTPCR assay is one such method that can effectively identify such pathogens, so treatments can be given accordingly.
ODL’s Nail fungal molecular test:
- Can be completed within 24 hours of sample receipt
- Can identify multiple kinds of hard to culture microbes
- Provides a more definitive diagnosis
Onychomycosis may result from dermatophyte, yeast, or nondermatophyte mold nail infections. Dermatophyte infections are most common and are estimated to account for 60 to 70 percent of infections. Nondermatophyte mold and yeast infections may account for 30 to 40 percent and 10 to 20 percent of fungal nail infections, respectively.
Trichophyton rubrum is the most frequent dermatophyte found in onychomycosis. Examples of other dermatophytes implicated in onychomycosis include Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum species, and other Trichophyton species.
ODL’s Nail Fungal PCR test targets dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte molds. Results are available within 24 hours of sample receipt.