FUNGAL DISEASES (a.k.a. mycosis)
Number, Only  50 fungal diseases in humans
Common fungal diseases, Athletes foot, Ringworm & Thrush
Seriousness, In most healthy people fungal infections are mild, involving only the skin, hair, nails.
Ringworm, infection of the skin, hair, or nails caused by fungi that belong to the genera
Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, and Microsporum. Ringworm tends to infect moist areas of the body.
The affected area usually becomes inflamed and itchy because of sensitivity to the fungus or a
secondary infection by bacteria. In the most serious cases, ringworm results in an acute infection that
produces running sores on the scalp or painful blisters on the feet.
Ringworm on the limbs, trunk, and face causes raised circular patches, which heal in the centres out
as the patches widen. The condition derives its name from this circular pattern, though in the groin or
armpit the patches may suggest butterfly wings, and at times the pattern is completely irregular.
Ringworm of the beard usually occurs on only one side of the face and is often irritated by shaving.
Ringworm may also affect the fingernails and toenails, causing thickening and deformation
To diagnose ringworm, portions of the affected areas are scraped off and examined under a
microscope. If a fungus is present, a characteristic type of growth will be evident.
Ringworm infections are often difficult to treat. Keeping the infected area clean and dry helps prevent
growth and spread of fungus. Scraping of overgrown skin or nail tissue may be helpful, and various
antifungal medications may be applied.
Athlete’s Foot, also called tinea pedis or ringworm of the foot, a contagious fungal infection
occurring most often between the toes and on the soles of the feet. A condition that tends to recur,
athlete’s foot is caused by several kinds of fungi that thrive in warm, damp places, such as the floors
of showers, swimming pools, and gymnasiums. The fungi most likely to cause athlete’s foot include
several species of the genus Trichophyton and Epidermophyton floccosum.
The symptoms of athlete’s foot are reddened, cracked, and peeling skin, accompanied by itching or
burning and stinging sensations. In severe cases the skin may thicken, like a callus, and begin to
scale. Bacteria may thrive as a secondary infection in athlete’s foot, which worsens the symptoms of
the disorder and makes it more difficult to cure. Sometimes the fungal infection spreads to the
toenails, which become thick and distorted.
Athlete’s foot is best prevented by keeping the feet dry and cool, especially during warm weather,
which encourages fungal growth. Mild cases of athlete’s foot are improved by keeping the feet dry
and using foot powder—especially between the toes—and changing socks frequently. Antifungal
medications are commonly used to cure the infection.
Thrush, fungal infection characterised by creamy-white, curdlike patches on the tongue and other
mucosal surfaces of the mouth. The disease is caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans, a
species of yeast that normally inhabits the mucous membranes as a benign saprophyte. Those most
susceptible to thrush include adults whose immune systems have been weakened by antibiotics,
steroids, or, most commonly, AIDS. Infants can become infected during birth if the mother has a
vaginal yeast infection.
When the curdlike discharge is removed from patches of thrush, raw and bleeding areas are visible
and can be especially painful. If left untreated, these superficial lesions may allow the yeast to spread
to other areas of the body. Diagnosis requires microscopic identification of the pseudomycelial
(branching-arms) forms. Generally, thrush is treated with a surface agent.
The growing number of cases of thrush and other diseases caused by Candida can be attributed
mainly to medical advances in antibiotic and immunosuppressive treatments. The onset of AIDS, a
severe immunosuppressive disease, has also played a role in the increased incidence of thrush.