Abstract: Objective To study the lectin binding patterns of fungi in histological sections and in smears of sodium hydroxide lysed nail from the patients with onychomycosis. Methods Using 12 biotinyl lectins and avidin-horseradish peroxidase(ABC method), the binding patterns of the fungi in the histological sections and nail lysates from 72 cases of onychomycosis were studied and compared with their counterparts in the published reports. Results All the lectin binding patterns of 7 fungi in the histological sections and nail lysates from onychomycosis patients showed identical with their counterparts in the culture, except that Microsporum ferrugineum stained positively with pisum sativum agglutinin in tissues while negatively in the culture. The nail lysate method revealed advantages of high positive rate and time-saving procedure. Conclusion The lectin binding patterns of the fungi in histological sections and nail lysates appear identical with their cultured counterparts and may be helpful in mycological identification in causal fungi in onychomycosis.

Key words: Onychomycosis, Histology, Fungi, Lectin staining