Infection

Fungal Infection

Fungal Infection

A fungus is a germ that ranges from something tiny and barely visible all the way to something big like a mushroom. They are all around us and don't usually cause any problems.

Sometimes they can cause itchy skin infections which are treated with creams or tablets.

Common fungal infections

Athlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis) is a fungal infection of the feet with itching, scaling and redness. It can be caused by a number of different fungi, including Trichophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum.
Ringworm (Tinea Corporis) can appear in the form of a red or silver rash anywhere on the body. It is usually ring-shaped and is most commonly caused by the fungus Trichophyton rubrum.
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails that can involve any component of the nail, including the matrix, bed or plate. It can cause pain, discomfort and disfigurement. Onychomycosis is caused by various fungal organisms, the most common being dermatophyte. Yeast and moulds also cause nail infections.
Tinea Versicolor or pityriasis versicolor is a common condition that causes small patches of skin to become scaly and discoloured. They can be darker or lighter than the surrounding skin, or even red or pink. The condition is caused by a yeast called Malassezia, which lives on the skin of most people without causing any problems.
Cutaneous Candidiasis can involve almost any skin area of the body, but mostly occurs in warm, moist, creased areas such as the armpits and groin. Candida is the most common cause of nappy rash in infants. Candida is also common in people who are obese or have diabetes. Antibiotics, steroid therapy and chemotherapy increase the risk of cutaneous Candidiasis.

Bacterial Infection

Bacterial Infection

Bacteria can infect any area of the body. Pneumonia, meningitis, and food poisoning are just a few illnesses that may be caused by harmful bacteria.

Gram staining, bacterial culture with antibiotic sensitivity determination, and other tests are used to identify bacterial strains and help determine the appropriate course of treatment.

Common bacterial infections

Cellulitis causes a painful, red infection that is usually warm to the touch. Cellulitis occurs most often on the legs, but it can appear anywhere on the body.
Folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicles that causes red, swollen bumps that look like pimples. Improperly treated pools or hot tubs can harbor bacteria that cause folliculitis.
Impetigo causes oozing sores, usually in preschool-aged children. The bullous form of impetigo causes large blisters while the non-bullous form has a yellow, crusted appearance.
Boils are deep skin infections that start in hair follicles. Boils are firm, red, tender bumps that progress until pus accumulates underneath the skin.

Viral Infection

Viral Infection

A viral infection is a proliferation of a harmful virus inside the body. Viruses cannot reproduce without the assistance of a host. Viruses infect a host by introducing their genetic material into the cells and hijacking the cell's internal machinery to make more virus particles. With an active viral infection, a virus makes copies of itself and bursts the host cell (killing it) to set the newly-formed virus particles free.
In other cases, virus particles “bud” off the host cell over a period of time before killing the host cell. Either way, new virus particles are then free to infect other cells. Symptoms of the viral illness occur as a result of cell damage, tissue destruction, and the associated immune response.

Certain viruses -- like the ones that cause chickenpox and cold sores -- may be inactive or “latent” after the initial infection. For example, you may have a cold sore that erupts and then heals. The cold sore virus remains in your cells in a dormant state. At a later date, a trigger, such as stress, sunlight, or something else, may reactivate the virus and lead to new symptoms. The virus makes more copies of itself, releases new virus particles, and kills more host cells.



The best way to avoid viral skin infections is to avoid skin-to-skin contact (especially areas that have a rash or sores) with an infected individual. Some viral skin infections, such as varicella-zoster virus, are also transmitted by an airborne route. Communal showers, swimming pools, and contaminated towels can also potentially harbor certain viruses.

Common Viral infections

Molluscum contagiosum causes small, flesh-colored bumps most often in children ages 1 to 10 years old; however, people of any age can acquire the virus. The bumps usually disappear without treatment, usually in 6 to 12 months.
Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) is the common virus that causes cold sores. It's transmitted through saliva by kissing or sharing food or drink with an infected individual. Sometimes, HSV-1 causes genital herpes. An estimated 85% of people in the US have HSV-1 by the time they are in their 60s.
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes itchy, oozing blisters, fatigue, and high fever characteristic of chickenpox. The chickenpox vaccine is 98% effective at preventing infection. People who have had chickenpox (or in extremely rare instances, people who have received the chickenpox vaccine) are at risk for developing shingles, an illness caused by the same virus. Shingles can occur at any age, but it occurs most often in people age 60 or older.