Onychomycosis survival time

"If you have onychomycosis, one person can infect two people" is a familiar saying. Onychomycosis is highly contagious and not only looks unsightly, but if not treated in time, it can also cause other skin diseases and even spread to other people. We all know that onychomycosis is caused by fungi. In life, we can't help but shake hands with people with onychomycosis. So, will we be infected? This depends on how long the fungus of onychomycosis can survive outside the body.

What is onychomycosis?

The scientific name is onychomycosis, which refers to the disease caused by dermatophytes invading the nails or under the nails. Onychomycosis is a nail infection caused by fungi such as dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte fungi. Onychomycosis is often caused by various fungi such as Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum. A few are caused by other filamentous fungi, yeast-like fungi and yeast, and occasionally by spore fungi, Fusarium and Aspergillus terreus, and are mostly seen in malnourished nails. Onychomycosis is one of the most stubborn and difficult to treat dermatophytes.

How long can the fungus in onychomycosis survive?

There are many fungi that can cause onychomycosis. Most fungi do not survive long outside the body, but some can survive for a very long time. Experiments have confirmed that it can last up to 20 to 30 years. But fungi are not resistant to heat or acid. Generally, it can be killed if the temperature is above 60 degrees, but not everyone will be infected. As long as the normal structure of the skin and mucous membranes is not destroyed and your immune function is relatively high, you will not be infected. Generally, you can use soap and hand sanitizer to sterilize within half an hour. Paying attention to hygiene and getting more sun exposure can also sterilize, or you can use acids and alkalis. So you can shake hands with someone who has onychomycosis, but you must clean your nails after shaking hands.

Onychomycosis cannot survive without the nails and without suitable conditions. However, if you live with someone with onychomycosis for a long time, the disease may be contagious. So in your daily life, you should go out more often, bask in the sun, let the ultraviolet rays kill bacteria, maintain personal hygiene, and trim your nails regularly. I wish you good health!