Two cases of onychomycosis due to Candida zeylanoides

Abstract

As the range of yeasts and filamentous fungi reported to cause onychomycosis has increased, uncommon genera or species have appeared in the literature. Candida zeylanoides is an example of a yeast rarely involved in human pathology. Between 1989 and 1991, two cases of onychomycosis due to this yeast were encountered in Wollongong, NSW. There were similarities in the cases, as both involved finger- or thumb-nails and both patients were female (one sixty years of age and the other, seventy-two). Evidence of pathogenicity is presented and subsequent topical treatment was successful in both cases.