Medicines for treating fungal infections
Fungal diseases are widespread among the inhabitants of any country. There are a great many diseases of these, but they all develop as a result of infection of the patient with various types of fungi. Mycosis of the feet is most common. This is one of the most popular reasons for patients to visit a dermatologist. However, in addition to this disease, there are many others: various types of lichen (multi-colored, ringworm, etc.), keratomycosis , dermatophytosis (these include trichophytosis, microsporia, etc.), skin candidiasis, etc. Medicines that are used to treat fungal infections are called antimycotics .
Each of these diseases has its own clinical picture, and the effective medicine in each case will be different. To date, the list of drugs is quite large, and the doctor always has plenty to choose from. Therefore, in most cases, the treatment of fungal infections is successful. However, the main difficulty lies in the fact that, in addition to therapy, the patient must comply with strict hygienic measures that are individual for each disease. In addition, the duration of treatment is usually several weeks or even months. And the success of treatment depends on the combination of these two factors (which depends on the patient’s patience).
What medicines are there for treating fungal infections:
Antifungal antibiotics of the polyene group – Amphotericin B, Nystatin , Griseovulvin , etc. Each of these drugs is effective against a specific type of fungi. Synthetic azoles – Ketoconazole , Clotrimazole , Miconazole , Fluconazole , etc. These are the most effective antimycotic agents against most of the existing types of fungi that infect humans. Antiseptics – iodine, potassium permanganate, brilliant green, salicylic and benzoic acid. They are used extremely rarely, in the absence of drugs of the first 2 groups. Medicines exist in various forms: tablets, injections, topical ointments. The latter is the most gentle, because the drug acts directly on the site of infection and does not affect the body as a whole. However, only a doctor can decide whether local forms are sufficient or whether oral or injected drugs are needed.
What complications drugs can give to the human body? This issue is also of great concern to patients to whom the doctor issues a prescription for the purchase of these drugs. For each of them, the list of side effects is different, it is usually prescribed in the instructions for medical use of the medicine. Before starting any medication, not just antifungal medication, you must study this important document very carefully. The most common side effects of antimycotics are as follows:
- Deterioration of liver function
- Deterioration of kidney function,
- Dyspeptic manifestations (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, etc.),
- Effect on blood (decreased platelet or white blood cell count),
- Allergic reactions, etc.
An effective medicine against microsporia
Most people have heard of such a disease as ringworm. In scientific language it is called “microsporia”. This disease is extremely unpleasant. However, with a timely visit to a doctor and taking all the necessary measures, it will remain only in memories. There are effective medications for this disease, but their choice depends on the form of the disease (microsporia of the scalp or body skin).
Ringworm is spread from infected animals (most often stray cats or dogs). Children most often get sick due to a weaker immune system. Infection occurs when wool, on the surface of which there are fungi, gets on the child’s skin. This is possible when the kid tries to stroke a stray animal, play with him, or if he spent the night in a baby carriage left for the night on the staircase (which is so soft and comfortable).
The most effective drug for the treatment of microsporia of the skin of the body is griseovulvin , because it works against dermatophyte fungi . They most often affect only the skin. Microsporia of the scalp is more difficult to treat, so the question of which medications are best suited for such a patient is decided by the dermatologist individually. Most often this is a combination: taking pills, topical treatment and strict hygiene measures to prevent re-infection.
Candidiasis: what medications will help the patient
Fungi of the genus Candida are found on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes of most people and are part of the normal microflora of the body. In most cases, they do not cause any harm to a person, since their growth is limited by other microorganisms and the human immune system. But when the body is weakened (patients with diabetes mellitus, systemic diseases, patients after chemotherapy for cancer, taking corticosteroids and cytostatics , AIDS patients, etc.), fungi invade the cells of the skin and mucous membranes, causing candidiasis.
Often, pregnant women with a clinic for genital candidiasis turn to an appointment with a gynecologist, despite the fact that they observe all the rules of hygiene. They are worried about itching and discharge, and even more – the question, where is it from? The answer is simple: pregnancy is also a state of natural weakening of immunity.
Many patients with candidiasis are interested in the answer to the question: what drugs are most effective against this disease? The answer depends on many factors, so the specific treatment will be individual. The most effective drugs against Candida fungi are nystatin , levorin , natamycin . These drugs have a narrow spectrum of action, and they are prescribed exclusively for the treatment of candidiasis. The second important link in treatment is finding out the reasons for the decrease in immunity and the appointment of specific drugs.