London, Aug 10 (IANS) A woman has been labelled a medical mystery after falling victim to an unidentified illness that causes nails to grow out of her hair follicles, the Daily Mail reported Friday.

Shanyna Isom, 28, suffered an allergic reaction three years ago which caused the debilitating syndrome, which has left her struggling to walk and carry out daily chores.

The university student was left covered in hard scabs as nails replaced the hair on her body and doctors are still in the dark about how to cure Shanyna's mysterious illness, according to the newspaper.

Isom lives with her family in Memphis and was in her first year at university when the nightmare began.

In September 2009 she was prescribed steroids after suffering an asthma attack and within hours the law student was itching all over her body. Shanyna became bedridden as the illness took over and doctors tried to determine what was wrong.

In 2011 she began treatment in Baltimore where doctors established that the bumps were in fact human nails slowly covering Shanyna's body.

Today doctors have yet to diagnose her but have been able to control her symptoms.

She relies on family and friends for financial help and they have rallied around her for support.