10 facts about fungal infections
We will describe 10 facts about fungal infections; focussing on its symptoms, causes, and treatment. Let’s start with the basics.
1. What are fungal infections?
They are caused by a type of organism called fungi. These organisms can grow in different parts of the body and cause a variety of health problems.
2. Often affect the skin, nails, and hair
But fungi (plural of fungus) can also cause infections in your mouth, throat, lungs, urinary tract and many other parts of your body. They can be spread through contact with infected people or animals, or through contaminated soil or water.
3. What are fungi?
They are living organisms that are classified separately from plants or animals. They move around by spreading out or sending spores (reproductive parts) into the air or environment.
Many fungi live naturally in our body (mouth, GI tract, skin) but can overgrow under certain circumstances.
Scientists estimate that there are millions of fungi in the world, but only a small number of them are known to cause disease in people.
4. Examples of common fungal infections
Superficial fungal Infections
Superficial fungal infections affect your nails, skin and mucous membranes (like your mouth, throat or vagina). Examples of superficial fungal infections include:
Ringworm (dermatophytosis). A group of fungi that live off of skin, hair and nail cells (dermatophytes) cause ringworm. They can infect your feet (tinea pedis/athlete’s foot), your groin and inner thighs (tinea cruris/jock itch), your scalp (tinea capitis), your hands (tinea manuum), your facial hair and skin around it (tinea barbae) and other parts of your body (tinea corporis).
Candidiasis. Candida (usually Candida albicans) causes skin and mucous membrane (mucocutaneous) infections called candidiasis. These include oral thrush, some types of diaper rash, vaginal yeast infections (vulvovaginitis), oesophageal candidiasis and candidal intertrigo.
Tinea versicolor. The fungus Malassezia causes skin discoloration called tinea versicolor or pityriasis versicolor.
Deep fungal infections
Deep fungal infections are found in places in your body other than your skin, like your lungs, blood, urinary tract or brain. Some are opportunistic infections, meaning that they usually only cause disease in people with weakened immune systems. Deep or invasive fungal infections include:
Histoplasmosis. Histoplasma, the fungus that causes histoplasmosis, can infect your lungs, brain or other parts of your body. It’s commonly found in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys.
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever). Caused by the fungus Coccidioides, coccidioidomycosis can infect your lungs and, rarely, move to other parts of your body. It’s most common in California and Arizona.
Blastomycosis. Blastomyces, the fungus that causes blastomycosis, commonly infects your bones, skin and lungs. Rarely, it can also infect your brain and spinal cord.
Aspergillosis. Aspergillus, the mold that causes aspergillosis, can cause several types of lung infections, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. It can also infect other parts of your body or form a fungus ball (aspergilloma).
Candida urinary tract infection. Bacteria cause most urinary tract infections (UTIs), but some are caused by yeast, such as Candida. Various Candida species also cause ‘invasive candidiasis’. It can infect your heart, blood (candidemia), brain, eyes (endophthalmitis), bones or other parts of your body.
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PJP). The fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii can infect your lungs and cause Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP).
Cryptococcosis. Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii cause cryptococcosis. They usually infect your lungs, but sometimes can infect your brain and spinal cord (cryptococcal meningitis).
5. Who get’s them?
Fungal infections are more common – in people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or who are taking immunosuppressant medications. They can also affect people with underlying medical conditions – such as diabetes, and those who have undergone surgery or received an organ transplant.
6. Are fungal infections contagious?
Some superficial fungal diseases, like ringworm, can spread from person to person through direct contact. Other deep infections, like fungus that you breathe into your lungs from the environment, are not usually contagious.
7. Can be diagnosed
Through laboratory tests, such as skin scrapings or blood tests.
8. Treatment for fungal infections
Can vary depending on the type of infection and the severity of the symptoms. They include:
- Lotion, cream or powder
- Mouthwash or lozenges
- Eye drops
- Shampoo
- Tablets – for more serious or long-term infections
- Intravenous (IV) drugs in hospital – for the most severe infections.
9. Complications
In some cases, fungal infections can cause serious complications, such as meningitis or sepsis, which can be life-threatening.
10. Good hygiene practices
Such as washing hands frequently and keeping skin clean and dry, can help prevent fungal infections.
Summary
We have described 10 facts about fungal infection, including its symptoms, causes, and treatment. We hope you understand them better now.
Other resources
Fungal infection treatment (NHS England)
Fungal nail infection (NHS Scotland)
