What is Onychomycosis? Onychomycosis also called Tinea unguium, is a nail fungus infection.
It can affect the nail bed, matrix and plate of all nails but it affects the toenails more commonly than the fingernails.
What Causes Onychomycosis or Tinea unguium? Onychomycosis is caused by three main types of fungi. These are:
- Dermatophytes - which cause the most onychomycosis. Examples include Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
- Nondermatophyte molds - Examples include the Fusarium species and Aspergillus species.
- Yeasts - cause the least cases of onychomycosis . Examples include Candida albicans.
