1996 Volume 37 Issue 9 Pages 502-506
We report three cases with nail damage due to tinea unguium occuring during interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C. The first case is a 53 year old male with right 3rd and 4th fingernail abnormalities occurring in the 4th week of IFN therapy. Changes spread distally with increasing opacity, thicking and distortion. Damage also occurred in the right toenails, and the affected fingernails eventually fell off. The second case is a 51 year old male with right 4th and 5th fingeail changes occurring in the 8th week of IFN therapy. Changes were initially confined to the proximal nail fold, however all right fingernails were subsequently affected and the 5th fingernail eventually collapsed. Third case is a 53 year old male with right 1st toenail damage occurring in the 10th week of IFN therapy. All toenails were subsequently affected. Diagnosis was made by microscopic examination of scrapings taken from affected nails. In all three cases, initial outbreak was simular to the pattern of proximal white subungual onychomycosis. After cessation of IFN, nail damage improved without the use of antifungal agents and no subsequent reccurrence was observed. It was suggested that onset of tinea unguium induced nail damage may be caused by IFN therapy. It should be noted that onychomycosis may be as adversed effect of IFN therapy.
