Utility of real-time PCR for diagnosis of dermatophytes in Indian patients with onychomycosis.

StudyIndian journal of medical microbiology· Aug 2026

Utility of real-time PCR for diagnosis of dermatophytes in Indian patients with onychomycosis.

Anju Sharma, Tanu Sagar, Lata Sheoran … Sonal Saxena

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Hair & NailStudyDiagnosisQ3IF 1.4

Real-time PCR detected dermatophytes in more onychomycosis nail samples than fungal culture.

Utility of real-time PCR for diagnosis of dermatophytes in Indian patients with onychomycosis.

Anju Sharma … Sonal Saxena

Indian journal of medical microbiology · Aug 2026

Purpose

Effective treatment of onychomycosis caused by dermatophytes (i.e.

Methods

Nail samples from 65 clinically suspected onychomycosis patients were screened by conventional methods (KOH Microscopy and fungal culture) for detection of dermatophytes.

n = 65 clinically suspected

Results

PCR found dermatophytes in 66% of samples, far more than culture's 12%.

KOH Microscopy

84.62%

Fungal culture

12.31%

Real-time PCR

66.15%

More results

Out of 65 collected nail samples, dermatophytes were identified in 58 (89.23%) samples by at least one diagnostic method.

Five (7.69%) samples were positive by all three methods.

Co-infection of two dermatophytes species was detected in six (9.23%) samples by real-time PCR.

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

This study concluded that real-time PCR can be used as a diagnostic tool for dermatophyte diagnosis in onychomycosis patients and has a greater advantage as it offers lesser turnaround time and edge of species identification.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Combining real-time PCR and fungal culture method provides best algorithm for detection of dermatophytes in onychomycosis patients.

Utility of real-time PCR for diagnosis of dermatophytes in Indian patients with onychomycosis.

Utility of real-time PCR for diagnosis of dermatophytes in Indian patients with onychomycosis.

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