The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) M38-A standard for the susceptibility testing of conidium-forming filamentous fungi does not explicitly address the testing of dermatophytes. This multicenter study, involving six laboratories, investigated the MIC reproducibility of seven antifungal agents tested against 25 dermatophyte isolates (5 blinded pairs of five dermatoph...

BACKGROUND Onychomycosis or nail fungal infection is the most common nail disease. Despite the wide range of studies on this condition, it remains difficult to establish the correct diagnosis and effective treatment. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of classical laboratory methods for the diagnosis of onychomycosis, and the in vitro susceptibility of the its main etiological agent to antif...

We developed a novel model of onychomycosis in which we observed fungi in the deep layer of the nail, and we used the model to evaluate the efficacy of two topical antifungal drugs. To establish an experimental, in vivo model of onychomycosis, we applied Trichophyton mentagrophytes TIMM2789 to the nails of the hind limbs of rabbits that underwent steroid treatment. The nails were taken from the...

BACKGROUND Onychomycosis is a relatively common disease accounting for up to 50% of all nail disorders and its prevalence rises with age. As onychomycosis is an important medical disorder affecting both patient's health and quality of life, it requires prompt and effective treatment. OBJECTIVE Topical antifungal nail lacquers have been formulated to provide efficient delivery to the nail unit...

Hair shedding and hair thinning have been reported to be affected by dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. The present study was conducted in 150 men presenting with telogen effluvium related to androgenic alopecia associated with dandruff. They were randomly allocated to three groups receiving each one of the three shampoos in the market containing either 1% ketoconazole (KTZ), 1% piroctone ola...

According to a recent controlled study, about 85% of patients with onychomycosis fail to respond to a standard treatment with amorolfine 5%. An 8% ciclopirox nail hydrolacquer, based on hydroxypropyl chitosan technology (P-3051), has been shown to improve efficacy in topical treatment of onychomycosis. No comparative studies between P-3051 and amorolfine were hitherto published. It has been inv...