Table 1.
Tools for the diagnosis of onychomycosis and rapid identification of the pathogen.
| Methods | Target | Usage § | Time | Specificity # | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Mycological Examination | Hyphae and spores in nails | PP, RL | 2–5 min | Fungi (Trichophyton, NDMs, Yeasts) | [2,3,4,5] |
| Cultures | Growing fungi | RL | 7–14 days | Tru, Tint NDMs if repeated isolations Yeasts if repeated isolations |
[6] |
| PCR with Specific Primers | Nail fungal DNA | RL | 5 h | Tru | [7,8,9] |
| PCR with Pan-Fungal Primers /Sequencing | Nail fungal DNA | RL | 24 h |
Trichophyton NDMs Yeasts |
[10,11] |
| Mass Spectrometry (MRM) | Sub6 | RD | Tru, Tint | [12] | |
| Western Blotting | Sub6 | RD | 24 h | Trichophyton | [13] |
| ELISA | Sub6 | ND | 24 h | Trichophyton | [13] |
| Strip Tests | Polysaccharides | PP | 15 min | Trichophyton | [14,15,16,17,18] |
§ PP: usage in private practice; RL: usage in routine laboratory; RD: for research and development. # NDM: non-dermatophyte filamentous mould; Tru: T. rubrum; Tint: T. interdigitale.