Anti-C2-mediated complement inhibition prevents disease in a rat passive transfer model of myasthenia gravis.

Onychomycosis, classified as a dermatomycosis, is a fungal infection of the nail resulting in the discolouration, thickening, disintegration and hardening of the nail bed. The prevalence of onychomycosis is 5.5% of the world population, representing 20% – 40% of all onychopathies and approximately 30% of cutaneous mycotic infections. The condition can be painful, interfere with daily activities, result in impaired or lost tactile functions and significantly impair the quality of life, negatively affect self-esteem, leading to social embarrassment and potentially resulting in serious complications. Multiple predisposing factors are reported to be associated with the development of onychomycosis. Dermatological risk factors include tinea pedis, psoriasis and hyperhidrosis, as well as other comorbidities such as diabetes, immunosuppression, chronic venous insufficiency, peripheral artery disease and obesity. The prevalence of onychomycosis is 25% higher in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people. Other risk factors are trauma to the nail, wearing occlusive footwear, advanced age, contact with household members who have onychomycosis or tinea pedis, hallux valgus, smoking, humidity and genetic predisposition. There are six clinical types of onychomycosis documented in the literature. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis is the most common type, with the infection starting in the hyponychium and distal or lateral nail bed and travelling proximally. Proximal subungual onychomycosis (PSO), commonly seen in immunocompromised patients, occurs when organisms invade the proximal nail fold and cuticle area, penetrate the new nail and migrate distally. White superficial onychomycosis occurs when pathogens invade the top layer of the nail plate directly and is clinically recognised by white ‘islands’ that spread as the disease progresses.
nail infections may first appear as oedematous, erythematous paronychia, penetrating the nail plate only after it has attacked the soft tissue around the nail. Endonychial onychomycosis, which is a fungal infection of the nail plate, occurs very rarely. The nail is discoloured, white, without recognisable subungual hyperkeratosis and onycholysis. If the entire nail is infected and pushed up by subungual hyperkeratosis, resulting in onycholysis, it is called total dystrophic onychomycosis.