The Effect of Disulphide Bond Disruption on the Barrier Integrity of the Human Nail

Onychomycosis is the fungal infection of the nail and accounts for approximately 50% of all nail disorders [1]. The prevalence of onychomycosis is increasing and currently up to 10 % of people in the UK and US are reported to be affected by this condition [2,3]. It can be both physically and psychologically debilitating during the most progressive stages of the disease [4,5]. Fungi (most frequently Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes), moulds (Scytalidium spp, Scopulariopsis spp, Fusarium spp, Acremonium spp, Onychocola canadensis) and yeasts (Candida spp) can be co-resident in a diseased nail and hence not every nail can be considered as being populated by the same community of species.