Fungal diseases from mild to menace
Fungi are everywhere in our environment. They’re outdoors in soil and on plants, indoors on surfaces and in the air, and on our skin and insides. There are millions of fungal species, but only a few hundred can make us sick.
As you most likely know, molds, yeasts and mushrooms are all types of fungi – today, we’ll look at a few that cause rashes or infections on the skin and nails. The others that may cause asthma or allergies, lung infections, bloodstream infections, and meningitis, we’ll save for another day.
Fungal infections (mycosis) can occur anywhere on your body. The most common are athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, and yeast infections. Caught in the early stages, they can usually be treated with over-the-counter antifungal medicines. But, you will need to consult with your primary care provider to ascertain whether or not you indeed have a fungal infection.
Fungi reproduce by releasing spores that can be picked up by direct contact or even inhaled. That’s why fungal infections are most likely to affect your skin, nails, or lungs. However, fungi can also penetrate your skin, affect your organs, and cause a body-wide systemic infection,” Healthline says.
Symptoms vary, but often the first sign of fungal infection will be changes in the skin. Look for red, cracking, or peeling skin that itches, stings or burns. Some infections will cause blisters.
Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a type of fungal infection that can affect the skin on your feet, as well as your hands and nails. At least four different fungi can cause the infection, with trichophyton rubrum being the most common.
“The infection is caused by dermatophytes, a group of fungi that can thrive in the warm and humid areas between your toes,” Healthline explains. “It’s particularly common among athletes (hence the name, duh) and can spread from one person to another. You can also catch it from contaminated surfaces, like public showers or locker room floors.”
For prevention, we should wear shoes that let our feet breathe. We should also wash our feet daily with soap and water and dry them thoroughly. We should always wear sandals when around shared showers or swimming pools.
Also, in the tinea family is jock itch (tinea cruris). “Tinea loves warm, moist areas like your genitals, inner thighs, and buttocks. Infections happen more often in the summer or in warm, wet climates,” WebMD says. The rash is often ring-shaped, red, and itchy.
Despite the name, women can also get jock itch. It’s only mildly contagious but can spread from person to person. Good personal hygiene, especially when it’s warm and humid, will help prevent jock itch, as will wearing clean clothes, particularly underwear, every day.
Worms have nothing to do with ringworm (tinea corporis). It’s so named because the rash is ring-shaped with a winding worm-like edge.
“Ringworm can spread through direct contact with infected people or animals. You can also pick it up off clothing or furniture,” WebMD says. “Heat and humidity can help spread the infection.”
Toenail fungus (onychomycosis) is also known as tinea unguium. It affects your toenails, fingernails, and nail beds. It typically starts as a small light-colored spot on your nail, and as it spreads deeper, it changes the color of the nail while becoming thicker and more brittle.
Your PCP will be able to tell if it’s toenail fungus or some other condition. Note that treatment can take weeks to months, and the earlier it’s treated, the more successful the results.
And finally, for today, a quick look at yeast infections. Candida albicans is a fungus commonly found on our skin and bodies, but when they multiply too much, they can cause an infection we know as yeast infections. They can infect your skin, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or genitals.
In your mouth, it’s called oral thrush and is relatively common in people who undergo prolonged antibiotic therapy. It presents with white patches in your mouth and throat.
Vaginal yeast infections are common in women and often cause pain, itchiness, clumpy discharge, swelling, and redness.
As I said before, all fungal infections are treatable. A formal diagnosis by your healthcare provider is crucial to determining what treatment will work best for your infection.
Kathy Hubbard is a member of the Bonner General Health Foundation Advisory Council. She can be reached at kathyleehubbard@yahoo.com.
