Dermatologists define infectious diseases as one of the most dangerous diseases for the population.The clinical manifestations, course, occurrence and spread of infectious diseases have certain signs that are clearly different from other pathologies.
foot fungal infection
Each infection has its own specific pathogen, which can be zoonotic, transmitted from person to person, or zoonotic, that is, parasitic in only animals or people, or in both animals and people.
An infection is a contagious disease that can be spread from an infected organism to a healthy organism.Large-scale spread of infectious diseases results in epidemics.
After getting sick, the body develops resistance or immunity to the causative agent of the disease, preventing reinfection.
Experts define infectious diseases as pathological characteristics with a certain cyclical course and a clear sequence of disease: latent period or latent symptom period, prodromal stage, mild main symptoms, high degree of illness, obvious primary and secondary symptoms, disappearance of clinical manifestations, and complete recovery.
Although the pathogens of infectious diseases are diverse, and the diseases they cause are also different in terms of external manifestations, predisposing factors, and elimination methods, the clinical manifestations of infectious diseases have many similarities: a sharp increase in body temperature until fever, and an acceleration of the body's basal metabolic reaction.
Fungal infections spread very easily and rapidly due to the conditional pathogenicity of fungal microorganisms.This means that the fungus is always present in the environment and in the human body, and only emerges when our normal living conditions change to conditions suitable for the fungus to spread and multiply.
The signal for the pathological proliferation of fungi that leads to the emergence of infectious diseases is an increase in the concentration of moisture and heat in the environment.Therefore, there is an increased risk of contracting fungal infections in shared showers and bathrooms, swimming pools, saunas, bathrooms and changing rooms.
Fungal microorganisms feed on keratin, a specific protein found in our epithelial tissue, so in order to more easily extract keratin, they mainly colonize the areas where the skin's epidermis is most fragile and thin, such as the folds between the fingers and toes.
The most common type of fungus is foot fungus, which occurs when the foot wears closed, uncomfortable shoes for long periods of time.Walking in closed shoes for long periods of time can cause your feet to sweat more, creating an ideal environment for fungal infections to develop.
The occurrence of fungal diseases usually indicates the presence of factors in the body that predispose to infection.Chronic diseases, diabetes, kidney and liver failure, blood circulation disorders, gastrointestinal diseases and persistent psychological and emotional backgrounds lead to a decrease in immunity, leading to a general decline in the body's protective functions and thus vulnerability to environmental factors and pathogenic microorganisms.
In most cases, foot fungus starts growing in the folds between the toes, from there it spreads to the sides of the foot, then covers the mold and ankle.If the infection cannot be effectively eliminated or proper treatment is lacking, mycotoxins may enter and circulate in the bloodstream.This may lead to disruption of the physiological processes of the internal organs, destruction of their integrity and structure, which will have a negative impact on maintaining the constancy of the body's internal environment and its overall life activities.
Externally, fungal infection manifests as thickening of the infected area of the skin, microcracks and microtrauma, continued peeling of the epidermis, pathological dryness of the surface layer of the skin, severe itching and burning, and increased pain; signs of inflammatory processes may appear on the surface of the epithelial tissue; in more severe stages, fluid-filled bubbles may appear on the epidermis, causing the underlying skin to soften and become easily deformed.
In addition to the general symptoms of fungal microbial parasitism, membranous fungus has specific localization characteristics, since it most commonly occurs in the fold between the fourth and fifth toes.It is characterized by scaly features in the area of infection and leads to frequent cracks in the outer skin tissue.Bacterial infections also occur in the body due to damage to the integrity of epithelial tissue by fungal diseases, and their pathogens enter the external environment through wounds and micro-cracks.
Moccasin-like fungi, like shoes, can cover the entire foot, increasing the area from the toes to the ankle and heel.When infected with moccasin-like foot fungus, people will feel persistent pain and intensification of itching in the areas where fungal cell division is most active. The surface layer of the epithelial tissue on the soles of the feet will thicken. The skin itself becomes allergic to the effects of overheating and undercooling temperatures, and is prone to frequent microtrauma.
If fungus develops on the nail plate, the nail begins to thicken, rising above the nail fold, or conversely, squeezing inward, exerting strong pressure on the skin below.If a fungal infection is not treated immediately, the nail will begin to crumble and may eventually become detached from the nail bed.
Vesicular foot fungus can cause the most physical discomfort in people because it is typically characterized by subcutaneous blisters filled with clear fluid on the soles of the feet.They often break, causing discomfort and pain with severe itching and burning, skin maceration, and damage to the skin of the feet from within.Fungal infections cause bacterial infections that occur as the strength of the body's immune defenses decreases.
Depending on the stage of development of the fungal infection, the nature of the disease and the general clinical situation, the attending physician may prescribe topical, systemic or combined treatments.
Topical treatment of foot fungus is performed using topical medications such as varnishes, powders, gels, sprays, tonics, ointments, and creams.
Systemic treatment involves the use of internal medications, which are prescribed in later stages of the disease when fungal infection pathogens circulate in the blood for a long time and topical medications do not produce the desired effect.Systemic treatment is rarely prescribed as a stand-alone method to eliminate the fungus, since most often it is combined with the use of topical fungicides, which is called combination therapy.
Experts have found that medications such as allylamine and azoles work best for treating foot fungus.Medications containing the active ingredient allylamine or azoles inhibit the activity of the fungus, slow down its growth, stop reproduction and utilize mycelium (the product of its important activity).
The most common ingredients in antifungal topical medications are naftifine, terbinafine, butenafine, itraconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, and miconazole.Dermatologists often recommend that people with fungal foot infections take medications to treat the external source of infection.The course of treatment is 7 to 10 days.
Doctors prescribe oral medications with great caution and only in extreme cases, when the fungus has caused serious damage to human health or continues to actively multiply despite regular use of local antifungal drugs.Many side effects and various contraindications can complicate the treatment of fungal diseases and place an additional burden on the body, which is already exhausted by the pathogenic activity against fungi.
Dermatologists most often prescribe internal medications with the active ingredients terbinafine and itraconazole and prescribe individualized dosage regimens.If the disease is advanced, adults receive a course of treatment lasting several weeks or even months.Itraconazole tablets and capsules are taken as 2 tablets of 100 mg daily for at least one week, and terbinafine is taken as 250 mg daily for 7 to 20 days.
Systematic observance of the main preventive rules, regular washing of personal belongings, wearing high-quality and comfortable shoes, regular treatment of clothing and personal hygiene items with antifungal sprays, as well as disinfection of bathrooms, toilets and floor coverings will help protect you from infections with pathogenic fungal microorganisms and avoid long-term treatments, which can have a negative impact on your overall health.