Fungus
Fungal infections can be seen in a wide range of persistent, troublesome skin conditions. Included among fungal infections are:
- athletes foot (tinea pedis)
- jock itch
- ringworm (tinea corporis)
- nail infections
- scalp infections
- candidiasis
- oral intertrigo
- vulvovaginitis
- diaper rashes
- paronchia
- chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
Anyone can acquire a fungal infection, and given the increasingly active lifestyle pursued by many Canadians, it is easier than ever to be exposed to a fungal infection. Fungi are actually a primitive form of vegetable, in the same family as mushrooms, molds, and mildew. They live in the air and soil, on plants and in water. Some of these fungi live in the human body. About half of all fungi are harmful to humans; the rest are quite harmless.
If your immune system is functioning properly, internal fungal infections are unlikely, but if your immune system is compromised, fungal infections become more likely. Those on antibiotics, which kill bacteria, may be prone to “opportunistic” fungal infections that take advantage of the lack of competition from bacteria. Some fungi reproduce by spreading microscopic spores, which are often present in the air where they can be inhaled or attach to the surfaces of a person's body. As a result, fungal infections usually start in the lungs or on the skin. Of all the different spores that you might inhale or have land on your skin, virtually none is likely to cause an infection unless your immune system is compromised. Some fungi, Candida, for example, exist quite normally on the skin or in the intestines.
If your immune system is functioning properly, internal fungal infections are unlikely, but if your immune system is compromised, fungal infections become more likely. Those on antibiotics, which kill bacteria, may be prone to “opportunistic” fungal infections that take advantage of the lack of competition from bacteria. Some fungi reproduce by spreading microscopic spores, which are often present in the air where they can be inhaled or attach to the surfaces of a person's body. As a result, fungal infections usually start in the lungs or on the skin. Of all the different spores that you might inhale or have land on your skin, virtually none is likely to cause an infection unless your immune system is compromised. Some fungi, Candida, for example, exist quite normally on the skin or in the intestines.
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Contact Information:
Canadian Skin Patient Alliance
2446 Bank Street, Suite 383
Ottawa, Ontario
K1V 1A8
Christine Jackson, Executive Director
phone: 613-422-4265
fax: 613-422- 4267
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