Chronic Paronychia and Onychomadesis in Pemphigus Vegetans: An Unusual Presentation in a Rare Autoimmune Disease

Pemphigus vegetans is a rare variant of deep acantholytic pemphigus which usually presents with vesiculobullous rash and vegetative plaques on the folds. We report a case of pemphigus vegetans patient who presented with rashes on tips of fingers and toes resembling paronychia and onychomadesis that misled the diagnosis for months. The final diagnosis of Hallopeau-type pemphigus vegetans was made based on histopathology and direct immunofluorescence studies. Interestingly, not only the clinical presentation was atypical, but blood tests for anti-desmoglein 1 and 3 antibodies by ELISA technique were also negative. Thus, the rare unusual manifestation of pemphigus vegetans in this patient may associate with different autoantibodies to desmosomal proteins compared with those of classic pemphigus patients.