Onychomadesis secondary to mouth, hand, and foot disease: Case report

This case is about a previously healthy five-year-old girl who presented with hand, foot, and mouth disease, and subsequently developed onychomadesis one month later, with detachment of the nail plates on both fingers and toes. However, the condition resolved spontaneously. After hand, foot, and mouth disease, she exhibited nail bed elevation at the proximal region of the nails on the second and third fingers of both hands. This elevation was painless, without bleeding, and later involved all toes. The condition resolved spontaneously over the following three months, with new, healthy nail growth. In Latin America, onychomadesis is a rare complication of hand, foot, and mouth disease in our region and is associated with atypical forms of the disease, indicating altered host response to common infections with coxsackie viruses. Reporting such cases is essential to understand these benign and self-limited variations, prevent misdiagnoses, and inform parents appropriately.