Despite the fact that only half of all types of fungi known to mankind can be hazardous to health, fungal species of microorganisms that live on the human body can cause the development of various infections. In most cases, the risk of infection with a particular fungal infection increases in those cases when the protective functions of the immune system are significantly reduced, or a person takes antibiotics that violate the normal bacterial flora.
Common types of skin infections caused by fungi
Yeast erosion or mycosis , as a rule, manifests itself in the form of diaper rash of intercutaneous folds. This type of skin infection caused by a fungus is characteristic of very overweight people suffering from diabetes or obesity. Symptoms of a yeast infection are redness of the skin (intensely red color), itching, rash, wet plaque of white color.
The most common form of mycosis is the epidermophytosis of the foot , which affects the skin at the base of the toes. Signs of this infection are burning, severe itching and cracked skin in the area of infection. Mycosis of the feet affects more than 20% of people. Infection, as a rule, occurs in public baths, saunas, pools, on beaches.
Candidiasis is a fungal infection that most often appears between the fingers on one or both hands. Initially, small blisters appear on the skin, which soon spontaneously burst, and erosion forms in their place. Fungal infections of this type are more susceptible to people who, by the nature of their activity, deal with the processing of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as housewives.
Ringworm or trichophytosis can occur on the nail plates, smooth skin, and also on the scalp. On the skin, it appears in the form of rounded or oval spots of pink or saturated red. The skin in infected areas is very flaky. Infection most often affects children 3-10 years old, while in adults, on the contrary, ringworm is quite rare. In this case, the fungus affects individual areas of the skin and looks like multiple formations of pale pink or red. The form of formations is round or oval. The surface of the skin in these places is covered with flakes of whitish-gray color. In addition, a significant thinning of the hair occurs in the foci of lesion as a result of breaking them off in the basal region.
Multicolored pityriasis versicolor most often affects the skin in the chest and back, although it can appear on the face, hands, genitals and very rarely on the scalp. Unlike ringworm, this type of infection is characterized by the formation on smooth skin of clearly defined, rapidly growing, peeling irregular-shaped spots, yellowish-pinkish, dirty in color.
By types of skin infections caused by fungi also include one of the types of onychomycosis. Skin infection is provoked by anthropophilic fungi, and often appears not only on soft skin, but also on the head under the hair.
Favus (scab) is a chronic fungal infectious disease that can affect not only the external parts of the human body, but also internal organs. Most often manifests itself on the scalp in the form of shin guards. In the places of the lesion, cicatricial atrophy of the skin develops and a strong hair loss is observed, up to their complete, irreversible loss.
Fungal infections that affect the skin are not only unpleasant, but also quite dangerous diseases. If you do not start treating them in time, diseases can last for years, which ultimately can lead to serious consequences.