What is a Bacterial Nail Infection?

What is a bacterial nail infection?

A bacterial nail infection is also known as Paronychia. Bacteria get into the skin through cuts in the cuticle and the nail fold (the skin around the nail). Most nail infections get better with antibiotics. Paronychia doesn’t usually cause serious health problems. In some cases, the infection lasts a long time or comes back after treatment.

What does a Bacterial Nail Infection (Paronychia) look like?

Symptoms of paronychia usually develop over several hours or days. Sometimes they take longer to develop. Symptoms appear where the nail meets the skin (the nail fold and cuticle). The sides of the nail can also be affected.

Paronychia symptoms include:

• Pain, swelling and tenderness around the nail.
• Skin that is red and warm to the touch.
• Pus that builds up under the skin. A white to yellow, pus-filled abscess may form. If an abscess forms, it may require antibiotics and/or drainage.
• Untreated, the nail can start to grow abnormally and may have ridges or waves. It may look yellow or green, and it can be dry and brittle. The nail can detach from the nail bed and fall off.

What causes a Bacterial Infection (Paronychia)?

Most commonly, infectious paronychia results from a staph infection. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria cause staph infections. Other bacteria (such as Streptococcus pyogenes) can also cause the infection. Bacteria get into the skin through:

• Cuts, broken skin or hangnails.
• Ingrown nails (this happens most often with ingrown toenails).
• Irritation from water or chemicals.
• Trauma to the nailbed or cuticle area. Trauma can result from accidents, nail biting or frequent manicures or pedicures.
• Some medications can also cause paronychia. Some of these medications include retinoids, anti-cancer medications, HIV medications and some antibiotics.

What are the types of paronychia?

There are two types of paronychia. Both types have similar signs and symptoms:

Acute paronychia: Symptoms of acute paronychia appear over hours or a few days. The infection is only in the nail fold and doesn’t extend deeper inside the finger or toe. Symptoms go away with treatment and last less than six weeks.

Chronic paronychia: Symptoms develop more slowly than acute paronychia, and they usually last six weeks or longer. Several fingers or toes can be infected at once. A nail fungus (usually from a type of fungus called candida) may occur along with the bacterial infection. Candida is one of several types of fungi that cause toenail fungal infections.

How do I diagnose my nail infection?

The ReliaHealth 3-in-1 Nail Fungus & Bacteria Test Kit with Antibiotic Resistance and Recommendation Panel provides the most accurate diagnosis of your nail condition. It can detect whether you have a nail fungus or bacterial infection, or in some cases both can occur.

ReliaHealth tests utilize the latest PCR technology which uses DNA amplification to detect the smallest trace of a bacterial and fungal infection. It will identify the cause of the nail infection and the exact bacteria and/or fungi responsible. This test also provides antibiotic resistance information and recommendations so you can obtain the correct form of treatment. Many bacteria have developed antibiotic resistance. This is why it’s so important to understand which type of antibiotic to take in order to kill off the bacteria in the nail infection.

The ReliaHealth Mail-In Lab test gets to the root cause of your nail infection and gives the answers you need to obtain the right treatment quickly and accurately.

References:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11303-toenail-fungus 

https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/skin-disorders/nail-disorders/onychomycosis 

https://www.healthline.com/health/fungal-nail-infection 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15327-nail-infection-paronychia