Mushrooms, the green slime that forms on stagnant pools, and tinea are all related. They are fungi. Fungi are
members of the plant kingdom, and are one of the types of microscopic life that can infect human beings in many
diverse ways.
The technical terms for a fungal infection are a mycotic infection or mycosis.
The most common site of infection is the skin, where they cause an infection that is commonly known as tinea.
The fungus that causes tinea can be found everywhere in the environment in the form of hardy spores. These are
microscopic in size and may survive for decades before being picked up and starting an infection. Between the toes
the fungus causes a type of tinea commonly known as athlete's foot. This is because athletes sweat and wear
close fitting shoes that lead to the ideal warm, damp environment favoured by fungi. Similar infections in the groin
cause a red, itchy, rapidly spreading rash. In both situations, creams or lotions are used to kill off the fungus before
it spreads too widely. The rash is often slow to clear, because the treatments destroy the fungus, and do not
necessarily heal the rash. The body heals the rash itself once the infection is controlled.
Unfortunately, fungal skin infections (dermatomycoses) tend to recur because the fungus in its cyst form is
resistant to many types of treatment. The active forms of the fungus are killed, but the spores may remain in the
skin pores to reactivate once the treatment is ceased. To prevent this condition, keep the affected areas cool by
wearing the correct clothing and foot wear, and dry carefully when wet.
Fungi are also responsible for many gut infections, particularly in the mouth and around the anus. It is a rare
infant that escapes without an attack of oral thrush. The white plaques that form on the tongue and insides of the
cheeks are familiar to most mothers, and this is due to one of a number of fungi. Paints or gels used in the mouth
usually bring it rapidly under control.
Around the anus, the fungus can cause an extremely itchy rash, but in women it may spread forward from the
anus to the vagina to cause the white discharge and intense itch of vaginal thrush or candidiasis. Movement from
the anus to vagina is aided by nylon underwear, tight clothing (particularly jeans), wet bathers and most
importantly, sex.
Fungi live normally in the gut, and are in balance with the bacteria that are meant to be there to help with the
digestion of our food. Antibiotics may kill off the good bacteria, allowing the fungal numbers to increase
dramatically, or they may migrate to unwanted areas. In these circumstances, they can cause trouble.
The most serious diseases develop when fungal infections occur deep inside the body in organs such as the
lungs, brain and sinuses. These diseases are very difficult to treat and it may take many months with potent
antifungal drugs to bring them under control. Fortunately, this type of condition is relatively rare.
The most obvious form of fungal infection is ringworm. This is not really a worm, but a fungal infection growing
outward from a central spore, in exactly the same way that mushroom rings form in the garden in damp weather.
Every species of fungus (and bacteria, but not viruses) has two names - a family name (eg. Candida) which
uses a capital initial letter and comes first, and a specific species name (eg: albicans) which uses a lower case
initial letter and comes second. The fungus which causes thrush is thus called “Candida albicans” but may be
abbreviated to “C. albicans”.
Common fungi, and the diseases they cause or the tissues they attack, include: -
FUNGUS TYPE OR PLACE OF INFECTION
Aspergillus Lungs, brain
Blastocystis hominis Lungs
Blastomycoses dermatitidis Lungs, skin
Candida albicans Mouth, vagina, penis (thrush)
Coccidioides immitis Lungs
Histoplasma capsulatum Lungs
Mallassezia furfur Skin (pityriasis versicolor)
Microsporum audouinii Scalp (cradle cap), nails.
Pneumocystis carinii Lungs (usually in AIDS patients)
Sporothrix schenckii Skin (sporotrichosis)
Trichophyton mentagrophytes Feet (athlete’s foot), nails.
Trichophyton rubrum Skin, nails
Trichophyton tonsurans Scalp
members of the plant kingdom, and are one of the types of microscopic life that can infect human beings in many
diverse ways.
The technical terms for a fungal infection are a mycotic infection or mycosis.
The most common site of infection is the skin, where they cause an infection that is commonly known as tinea.
The fungus that causes tinea can be found everywhere in the environment in the form of hardy spores. These are
microscopic in size and may survive for decades before being picked up and starting an infection. Between the toes
the fungus causes a type of tinea commonly known as athlete's foot. This is because athletes sweat and wear
close fitting shoes that lead to the ideal warm, damp environment favoured by fungi. Similar infections in the groin
cause a red, itchy, rapidly spreading rash. In both situations, creams or lotions are used to kill off the fungus before
it spreads too widely. The rash is often slow to clear, because the treatments destroy the fungus, and do not
necessarily heal the rash. The body heals the rash itself once the infection is controlled.
Unfortunately, fungal skin infections (dermatomycoses) tend to recur because the fungus in its cyst form is
resistant to many types of treatment. The active forms of the fungus are killed, but the spores may remain in the
skin pores to reactivate once the treatment is ceased. To prevent this condition, keep the affected areas cool by
wearing the correct clothing and foot wear, and dry carefully when wet.
Fungi are also responsible for many gut infections, particularly in the mouth and around the anus. It is a rare
infant that escapes without an attack of oral thrush. The white plaques that form on the tongue and insides of the
cheeks are familiar to most mothers, and this is due to one of a number of fungi. Paints or gels used in the mouth
usually bring it rapidly under control.
Around the anus, the fungus can cause an extremely itchy rash, but in women it may spread forward from the
anus to the vagina to cause the white discharge and intense itch of vaginal thrush or candidiasis. Movement from
the anus to vagina is aided by nylon underwear, tight clothing (particularly jeans), wet bathers and most
importantly, sex.
Fungi live normally in the gut, and are in balance with the bacteria that are meant to be there to help with the
digestion of our food. Antibiotics may kill off the good bacteria, allowing the fungal numbers to increase
dramatically, or they may migrate to unwanted areas. In these circumstances, they can cause trouble.
The most serious diseases develop when fungal infections occur deep inside the body in organs such as the
lungs, brain and sinuses. These diseases are very difficult to treat and it may take many months with potent
antifungal drugs to bring them under control. Fortunately, this type of condition is relatively rare.
The most obvious form of fungal infection is ringworm. This is not really a worm, but a fungal infection growing
outward from a central spore, in exactly the same way that mushroom rings form in the garden in damp weather.
Every species of fungus (and bacteria, but not viruses) has two names - a family name (eg. Candida) which
uses a capital initial letter and comes first, and a specific species name (eg: albicans) which uses a lower case
initial letter and comes second. The fungus which causes thrush is thus called “Candida albicans” but may be
abbreviated to “C. albicans”.
Common fungi, and the diseases they cause or the tissues they attack, include: -
FUNGUS TYPE OR PLACE OF INFECTION
Aspergillus Lungs, brain
Blastocystis hominis Lungs
Blastomycoses dermatitidis Lungs, skin
Candida albicans Mouth, vagina, penis (thrush)
Coccidioides immitis Lungs
Histoplasma capsulatum Lungs
Mallassezia furfur Skin (pityriasis versicolor)
Microsporum audouinii Scalp (cradle cap), nails.
Pneumocystis carinii Lungs (usually in AIDS patients)
Sporothrix schenckii Skin (sporotrichosis)
Trichophyton mentagrophytes Feet (athlete’s foot), nails.
Trichophyton rubrum Skin, nails
Trichophyton tonsurans Scalp
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