<Tr> <Th> MeSH </Th> <Td> D010304 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> Paronychia is a nail disease that is an often - tender bacterial or fungal infection of the hand or foot where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of a finger or toenail . The infection can start suddenly (acute paronychia) or gradually (chronic paronychia). Paronychia is commonly misapplied as a synonym for whitlow or felon . The term is from Greek: παρωνυχία from para, "around" and onukh -, "nail". </P> <P> The skin typically presents as red and hot . These infections can be painful . </P>

Acute infection of the fold of skin around a nail