【Pathology】Fungal Infection

Fungal Infection

• also called mycosis
• a skin disease caused by a fungus

Content:

1. Fungal Infection Symptoms
2. Types of Fungal Infections
    a. Athlete's foot
    b. Jock Itch
    c. Ringworm
    d. Yeast infections
3. Fungal diseases that affect people who live in or travel to certain areas
4. Fungal diseases that affect people with weakened immune systems
5. Other diseases and health problems caused by fungi
6. Reference

Review:【Pharmacology】Antifungal drugs

1. Fungal Infection Symptoms

A fungal skin infection might cause:

• Irritation
• Scaly skin
• Redness
• Itching
• Swelling
• Blisters 

2. Types of Fungal Infections

• can happen anywhere on your body.
• Most common:
• Athlete's foot
• Jock itch
• Ringworm
• Yeast infections

a. Athlete's foot

• also called tinea pedis
• a fungal infection of foot
• grow best in warm, moist places such as shoes, socks, swimming pools, locker rooms, and public showers
• often found in the summer and in hot, humid climates
• happens in people who 
• wear tight shoes
• don’t change their sweaty socks
• use public baths and pools
• The most common fungi is Trichophyton rubrum
• live on the dead tissue of hair, toenails, and outer skin layers
• Symptom:
• Peeling, cracking, and scaly feet
• Blisters
• Skin that’s red, softened, or broken down
• Itching
• Burning
• Types of athlete's foot
• Interdigital
• also called toe web infection. 
• common form
• occurs between two smallest toes
• The infection can spread to the sole of your foot
• Moccasin
• can begin with irritation, dryness, itching, or scaly skin
• Over time, skin may thicken and crack
• This infection can involve entire sole and extend onto the sides of  foot
• Vesicular
• rarest kind 
• usually begins with a sudden outbreak of fluid-filled blisters
• often on the underside of foot
• also can appear between toes, on heel, or on top of foot

b. Jock Itch

• also known as tinea cruris
• A type of fungus called tinea causes jock itch
• Tinea loves warm, moist areas like 
• genitals
• inner thighs
• buttocks
• happen more often in the summer or in warm, wet climates
• mildly contagious
• spread from person to person 
• through direct contact or indirectly through objects with the fungus on them
• Symptom:
• Red, itchy rash
• Ring-shaped
• Redness on groin or thigh
• Flaking, peeling, or cracking skin

c. Ringworm

• also called tinea corporis
• named for its ring-shaped rash with a winding, worm-like edge
• spread through direct contact with infected people or animals
• Heat and humidity can help spread the infection
• Symptoms:
• red, circular, flat sore 
• happen along with scaly skin
• outer part of the sore might be raised while the skin in the middle appears normal
• Patches or red rings may overlap

d. Yeast infections

• called cutaneous candidiasis
• A type of fungus called candida causes these infections when it grows too much
• not contagious
• most common in warm, moist, creased areas of body, including 
• armpits
• groin
• often happen in people who are 
• obese
• diabetes
• taking antibiotics (higher risk)
• Candida can cause diaper rash in infants
• cause infections in nails, vagina, or mouth (oral thrush).
• Symptoms
• (On skin)
• Rash
• Patches that ooze clear fluid
• Pimple-like bumps
• Itching
• Burning
• (nail beds)
• Swelling
• Pain
• Pus
• A white or yellow nail that separates from the nail bed
• (thrush)-----yeast infection of your mouth
• White patches on your tongue and inside cheeks
• Pain
• (vaginal yeast infection)
• White or yellow discharge from your vagina
• Itching
• Redness in the external area of your vagina
• Burning

3. Fungal diseases that affect people who live in or travel to certain areas

Blastomycosis

• Caused by Blastomyces
• Lives in moist soil in parts of United States & Canada

Cryptococcus gattii infection

• Caused by Cryptococcus gattii
• Lives in tropical & sub-tropical area, United States Pacific Northwest & British Columbia

Paracoccidiodomysis

• Caused by Paracoccidiodes
• Lives in parts of central and South America
• Often affects men who work outdoor in rural areas

Coccidiodomycosis (Valley Fever)

• Caused by Coccidiodes
• Lives in southwestern United States
• Part of Mexico & Central and South America

Histoplasmosis

• Caused by Histoplasma
• Lives in environment associated with large amounts of bird or bat droppings

4. Fungal diseases that affect people with weakened immune systems

Aspergillosis

• Caused by Apergillus
• A common mold that libes indoors and outdoors

 

Candida auris infection

• Emerging
• Often multidrug-resistant fungus found in healthcare setting that presents a serious global health threat

 

Invasive candidiasis

• A serious infection that affect the
• Blood
• Heart
• Brain
• Eyes
• Bones
• in hospitalized patient

 

Pneumocyctis pneumonia (PCP)

• A serious infection caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii

 

Candidiasis

• Lives inside the body & on skin without causing problems
• Cause infections if it grows out of control or enter deep into body

 

Cryptococcus neoformans infection

• Can infect brain----causing meningitis
• More likely to affect people with HIV / AIDS

 

Mucormycosis

• A rare but serious infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes

Talaromycosis

• Caused by Taloromyces
• Lives in Southeast Asia, southern China or eastern India

5. Other diseases and health problems caused by fungi

Fungal eye infections

• Rare infection
• Develop after eye injury or surgery

 

Sporotrichosis

• Caused by Sporothrix
• Lives throughtout the world in soils and on plants

 

Mycetoma

• Soil and water typically in rural regions of Africa, Latin America, and Asia

6. Reference

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/fungal-infections-skin

https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/index.html