Yeast
Infection Of The Skin (Cutaneous Candidiasis)
"Cutaneous candidiasis" is the term that your doctor would be
using for a yeast infaction of the skin. With this condition moist skin has led
to the loss of the natural skin barrier. Candida albicans, the yeast bug, is a
normal component of the skin flora. When the skin is breaking down and secretions
feed the Candida yeast bugs, it changes characteristics and becomes invasive.
It establishes itself in the moist skin surface as the dominant compnent of the
flora and contributes to further breakdown of the skin, making conditions for
the host worse and for the yeast bug better. Eventually it presents with inflamed
areas that are surrounded by red dots (satellite lesions). Such infections occur
predominantly in the "intertriginous" areas such as in the axilla, skin
below the breasts (inframammary skin), the groin, the buttock folds (diaper rash),
the umbilicus, between
the toes and in the skin
of the finger webs. Like
in all Candida infections these conditions are more likely to occur in diabetics
(more sugar in the tissues to feed the yeast bugs), with the use of antibiotics,
immunosuppressive therapy, in pregnancy, in obesity, and in people with weakened
immune systems from leukemia or other conditions. The common denominator is a
change of the skin flora from systemic antibiotics (which selects for yeast bugs),
hormone changes (pregnancy, diabetes) or a weakened immune system (leukemia).
Treatment: Nystatin (brand names: Candistatin, Mycostatin,
Nadostatin, Nilstat, Nyaderm ) are usually prescribed first and this topical cream
or ointment is applied three to four times daily to the affected area. It takes
two to three days to establish a response which will be apparent by the redness
becoming more pink color, the itchiness subsiding and no new lesions occurring.
Alternatives, if nystatin does not work are clotrimazole and ciclopirox. Clotrimazole
is known under the brand names: Canesten, Clotrimaderm, Scheinpharm Clotrimazole.
Ciclopirox is known under the brand name: Loprox (Ref. 2, p. 805).
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| Disclaimer:
This outline is only a teaching aid to patients and should stimulate
you to ask the right questions when seeing your doctor. However, the responsibility
of treatment stays in the hands of your doctor and you. References: 1.The
Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beer s et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999.
Chapter 158. 2.The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse
Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 113. 3. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M.
H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 164. 4.David Heymann,
MD, Editor: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 18th Edition, 2004, American
Public Health Association. Last Modified: Feb. 6,
2012 | |
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