Fungal infections, also known as mycoses, are diseases caused by an infection with fungi. They are among the most common infectious diseases worldwide. Mycoses are treated with so-called antimycotics. These are antifungal drugs that kill the fungi or inhibit their growth.
Here you will find further information and selected specialists for fungal infections.
Fungal infections, also known as mycoses, are infectious diseases. They are caused by certain disease-causing fungi.
Mycoses can be classified according to different criteria. The most common classification is according to
In terms of localization, a basic distinction is made between
Fungal infections are divided into superficial and systemic mycoses according to their localization.
Localized mycoses are superficial fungal infections. They are usually limited to one part of the body or one tissue (topical mycosis). This means that they occur on
mucous membranes. They are therefore fungal diseases of the skin - also known as dermatomycoses. They are usually caused by dermatophytes or yeast fungi.
The most common local or superficial mycoses include
In a systemic fungal disease, the pathogen spreads throughout the entire organism via the bloodstream. Systemic mycosis occurs very rarely, but is life-threatening.
The following diseases are examples of systemic fungal infections:
Systemic fungal infections almost only affect people with a weakened immune system.
The pathogens are yeasts and molds.
Using the DHS system, the fungi that cause infections can be divided into three different groups:
The classification of pathogens is important for treatment planning.
The different types of fungi differ in terms of
There are also differences in the course of the fungal infection.
Dermatophytes are filamentous fungi. These dermatophyte genera are particularly common:
Dermatophytes affect people with a weakened immune system as well as healthy people.
They only cause superficial mycoses, so they never affect the inside of the body. Accordingly, these fungi only affect the skin, toenails, fingernails or hair.
Athlete's foot and nail fungus are particularly common in this context.
Yeast fungi are also known as sprout fungi. The most widespread yeasts include
People with a weakened immune system are particularly frequently affected by yeast infections.
Yeast fungi can lead to localized mycosis. It usually occurs on the skin and mucous membranes. Fungal infestation of hair and nails is less common. Yeast fungi can also trigger systemic fungi.
Yeast fungi often lead to one of the following fungal infections:
Molds belong to the filamentous fungi. Well-known types of mold are, for example, Aspergillus and Mucor.
They usually only affect people who have a weakened immune system. They usually cause diseases of the internal organs, such as the lungs. Superficial mycoses, for example
are much less frequently caused by molds.
Dermatophytes are transmitted by smear infection. A direct smear infection requires direct contact with an infected person or animal. Indirect smear infection refers to infection via contact with a contaminated surface.
Yeasts and molds are usually transmitted by inhaling their spores. The spores then spread throughout the body via the blood. Yeast and mold fungi can also be transmitted via contaminated food.
As a rule, the immune system can keep most fungi in check. Only if the immune system is seriously weakened is there a risk of a serious fungal infection. The following people are particularly at risk of this:
In addition, there are other risk factors independent of serious illnesses:
Superficial mycoses occur very frequently. Athlete's foot and nail fungus are real widespread diseases. According to reliable estimates, around 30 percent of the population in Germany suffers from athlete's foot. One in six Germans, or 16 percent, have nail fungus.
Vaginal fungus is even more common. More than three quarters of all German women get this disease at least once in their lives.
Systemic fungal infections, on the other hand, are extremely rare.
This skin infection is medically known as tinea pedis or interdigital mycosis. Athlete's foot is often chronic. Dermatophytes are usually the causative pathogen. However, mold or yeast fungi can also cause athlete's foot.
Athlete's foot usually develops in the spaces between the individual toes or on the sole of the foot. The back of the foot is only affected in advanced cases.
Athlete's foot usually manifests itself with severe itching between the toes. This lasts for a long time and is usually accompanied by a red discoloration of the affected skin areas. There is also increased scaling in this area of the skin. Furthermore, small pustules or blisters often appear, which become inflamed.
The infected areas of skin often smell unpleasant and cause pain.
You should have athlete's foot treated immediately. Otherwise there is a risk that this fungal infection will develop into nail fungus.
Athlete's foot destroys the skin on the feet © chaipanya | AdobeStock
Nail fungus is also known as tinea unguium, nail mycosis or onchomycosis. It is often a chronic fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails. The causative agents of nail fungus are usually dermatophytes. In rare cases, however, nail fungus can also be caused by yeasts or molds.
Nail fungus on the toenails is usually the result of untreated athlete's foot. Overall, it occurs more frequently than nail fungus on the fingernails.
Nail fungus gradually destroys the nail plate and thus also the protective function of the nails.
Typical signs of nail fungus are changes in the color of the nails such as
Nail fungus is also associated with
fingers.
Nail fungus causes the nails to become deformed and discolored © Serhad | AdobeStock
In medical terms, vaginal fungus is also known as vaginal mycosis. This particular form of mucosal mycosis occurs in the genital area of women. It causes inflammation of the external and internal genital area. In most cases, vaginal mycosis is caused by an infection with a yeast fungus. The yeast Candida albicans is particularly common.
A vaginal yeast infection is characterized by severe itching in the genital area. Other symptoms are
Other superficial mycoses occur much less frequently than athlete's foot, vaginal mycosis and nail fungus. Examples are the following fungal infections:
As part of the diagnosis, the doctor determines whether and what type of fungal infection is present. This requires a three-step examination:
As a rule, the dermatologist will examine the patient. If vaginal fungus is suspected, please contact the gynecologist.
The first step is to take a medical history. Anamnesis is the recording of the patient's complaints and medical history. By questioning the patient, the doctor tries to draw conclusions about the causes of the fungal infection.
The doctor then carries out a physical examination. In doing so, he examines the exact areas of skin affected by the disease. As a rule, the doctor makes the diagnosis based on the recognizable symptoms.
During the physical examination, the doctor usually also takes a native preparation. Doctors refer to a fresh and non-fixed material sample as a native preparation. When examining for a fungal infection, small skin, nail or dandruff samples are used as a native preparation.
The doctor then examines the specimen on a microscope slide. If fungal elements are present, they can be recognized under magnification.
However, the native preparation is not sufficient to determine the specific pathogen. In order to identify the pathogen, a fungal culture is required.
To determine the exact fungal pathogen, the pathogen is grown in a fungal culture in the laboratory. For this purpose, the native preparation is placed on a suitable culture medium. At a suitable ambient temperature, the pathogens multiply and a culture is created.
After around three to four weeks, the fungal culture has grown to such an extent that the pathogen can be identified.
It is necessary to determine the pathogen in order to tailor the treatment precisely to it. Then there is the best chance of optimal treatment success.
Antifungals are scientifically known as antimycotics. They effectively combat fungal infections. These active ingredients have a killing (fungicidal) or growth-inhibiting (fungistatic) effect on fungal pathogens.
A distinction is also made between antifungal agents based on their range of action. So-called narrow-spectrum antifungals are only effective against a limited number of pathogens. Broad-spectrum antifungals, on the other hand, combat a large number of different fungal pathogens.
Knowledge of the causative pathogen is therefore of great importance when choosing the right remedy.
Note: Follow the doctor's instructions exactly when using the prescribed antimycotics. Use the medication for the prescribed period - even if you no longer have any symptoms. Stopping treatment prematurely increases the risk of relapse, as any pathogens still present can multiply again.
Basically, antifungals can be divided into two categories:
Topical antifungals combat the pathogens of a fungal infection through external application. Systemic antifungals, on the other hand, are taken internally.
Topical antifungals are used exclusively for local, external application. Apply these antifungal agents directly to the affected areas of the body. Follow the doctor's or pharmacist's instructions! Topical antifungals are available over the counter as
Superficial therapy is recommended for fungal infections
mucous membranes. For example, athlete's foot, nail fungus and vaginal fungus are treated.
The most commonly used topical antifungals include
Severe side effects do not usually occur with topical antifungals. Possible side effects are mostly limited to skin reactions, such as skin irritation.
Systemic antimyotics are usually administered in tablet form or as an infusion. In this way, the active ingredient can be distributed throughout the entire organism via the bloodstream.
The active ingredients used for systemic antifungal therapy are in particular
can be considered.
Systemic treatment of a fungal infection is necessary if the pathogen has spread inside the body. In some cases, a superficial fungal infestation is too advanced or topical application has no effect. Systemic antimycotics are then also used here.
Other indications for the use of systemic antimycotics are
Your doctor will carefully weigh up the benefits and risks of systemic therapy for fungal treatment.
The risk of infection can be reduced by taking appropriate measures and following certain rules of conduct. The aim is to
Shared towels can be a possible transmission route for fungal infections. Therefore, do not share your towel with others. It is also advisable to wash your towel regularly at temperatures above 60°.
Pets can carry many fungal pathogens. Have your pet examined regularly by a vet. This way, a fungal infection in the animal can be detected and treated before it spreads.
A warm and humid environment is extremely conducive to the growth of fungal pathogens. Such an environment can be found in saunas, swimming pools or communal showers. The likelihood of contaminated surfaces is very high here.
Consistently avoid contact with surfaces in these public places so as not to expose yourself to any risk. Place a towel on seats and benches before you sit down. Always wear bathing shoes instead of walking barefoot. This will significantly reduce the risk of infection.
Fungi are part of the flora that colonizes the human organism. However, fungal pathogens can only multiply and cause an infection if the immune system is weakened.
A healthy immune system is therefore very important for the prevention of fungal and other pathogens. A healthy lifestyle directly strengthens the immune system. This includes
Take care to avoid an excessively moist skin environment in your daily body care routine. This particularly applies to skin folds where sweat and moisture accumulate. These include
Always ensure that these areas are well ventilated and wash regularly. After washing, make sure you dry these areas thoroughly.
Drying out the surface of the skin also increases the risk of infection. Dry skin easily develops fine cracks. Fungal pathogens can penetrate these and then spread further.
A wash or body lotion provides moisture and nourishing oils and prevents the skin from drying out.
However, do not overdo it with body care. Too frequent or aggressive cleansing can unbalance the natural skin flora. This risk exists in the female genital area, for example.
Wear breathable, air-permeable clothing in which you sweat as little as possible. The following tips will also help you to avoid a fungal infection:
