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Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis) - Background information
What is it?
- Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis) can involve any part of, or the entire, nail unit. This includes the nail plate, nail bed, and root of the nail.
- The infection evolves slowly. As it evolves, the nail unit discolours, the nail plate distorts, and the nail bed and adjacent tissue may thicken.
- Fungal nail infection affects the toenails considerably more frequently than the fingernails (in a ratio of about 4:1).
[Williams, 1993]
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