Fungal Infection

Introduction:

Fungal infection is generally speaking slower in coming on than bacterial infection, but when it is systemic it is as devastating. Many fungal infections or mycoses (another name for them) are opportunistic infections. In other words, they are part of the normal flora on the skin, in the gastrointestinal tract or in the airway passages, but a dysbalance through treatment with antibiotics or with corticosteroids will overpopulate them and give them a signal to invade and cause disease. Corticosteroids may be needed for treatment of severe asthma, for bad arthritis, or in combination with chemotherapy in cancer patients.

The immune system is weakened in this case and the cellular immune response in particular is hampered so that the system cannot fight fungal infection as well. Other causes for fungal infections are chronic diseases or conditions such as in patients with AIDS, tuberculosis, leukemia and other illnesses where the immune system is overtaxed or paralyzed. Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney failure or extensive burns are all at a high risk for developing fungal infection. In the following outline I will only mention some of the more important fungal infections.

In the table above you will find some of the common fungal infections and links to a more detailed description of each condition (Ref. 1).

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, 7^th edition, by M. H. Beer s et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 158.

2.The Merck Manual, 7^th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 113.

3. The Merck Manual, 7^th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 164.