الفهرس 
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Abstract
Onychomycosis means any fungal infection of the nail plate by dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte molds or yeasts. It occurs world wide and account for up to 50% of all nail disorders. The aim of this study is the isolation and identification of different fungal species affecting the nail in our locality. In this study 60 patients diagnosed clinically as onychomycosis were selected from the dermatology out patient clinic of Mansoura University Hospitals. They were 7 males and 53 females and their ages ranged from 17 to 61 years. The patients were subjected to thorough history taking especially for age, sex, residence, occupation and presence of associated systemic diseases. Patients also were subjected to thorough clinical dcrmatologic examination for the nail and other associated dermatological lesions any-where in the body. Nail scrapings were taken from the affected parts of the nails and subjected to direct microscopic examination using potassium hyderoxide (20%) and culture on both Sabouraud’s agar (incubated at 37 °C) and Mycosel media ( incubated at 25°C) then observed daily for growth for up to four weeks. The growths were identified by macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. The mean age of our patients with onychomycosis was 36.8 years ± 10.64 with the highest age incidence between 30-49 years for females and between 50-59 years for males. Females were commonly affected than males (88.33% and 11.67% respectively). Onychomycosis was common in rural areas (61.67%) than in urban areas (38.33%) and this may be attributed to the geographic variation or exposure of rural residents to many predisposing factors as vigorous manual work with nail damage and frequent exposure to plant and soil inhabitant pathogens.