Regardless of the pathogen, the disease has similar symptoms, mechanism of occurrence and treatment tactics. Athlete's foot is a common and contagious disease. It is characterized by the frequency of occurrence in the presence of accompanying conditions and diseases, for example, chronic inflammatory foci, endocrine diseases, a decrease in the immune system and other diseases. As a rule, the disease is chronic with exacerbation in summer and weakening of the process (remission) until winter.
Symptoms of mycosis
- Color change
- Inflammation
- The appearance of spots
- Erosion
- Deformation and thickening
Types of fungal diseases of the foot
Depending on which type of fungus causes the disease, foot mycoses are divided into:
Yeast-like mycoses: caused by fungi of the genus Candida.
Mold mycoses: Scytalidium spp. , caused by Onychocola canadensis, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Alternaria, Penicillium fungi.
Dermatomycosis: caused by dermatomycetes of the genus Trichophyton, Epidermophyton. Fungi of this species need keratin, which is rich in the stratum corneum of the skin, nails, and hair, to function. The group of damaged dermatomycosis, where the nails predominate, includes rubrophytosis (the causative agentTrichophyton rubrum) and athlete's foot (trichophyton interdigitale). Trichophyton rubrum accounts for approximately 80-90% of athlete's foot.
Mixed mycoses: caused by several types of fungi at the same time.
Each type of mycosis is described in detail below.
Yeast-like mycoses
Recently, foot mycoses caused by fungi of the genus Candida have become widespread. It is believed that this is due to the wide distribution of various drugs whose activity is related to the interaction with the immune system.
Dermatomycoses
Athlete's foot is a chronic disease localized in the skin of the arches and interdigital folds of the feet, accompanied by frequent damage to the nail plates.
Mold mycoses
Mold mycosis is mainly spread in countries where people traditionally go barefoot (eastern and subtropical and tropical countries). In regions with a temperate climate, this type of mycosis also occurs, but, as a rule, in immunocompromised patients and in people who are in frequent contact with soil and plants.
Forms of foot mycosis
Mycosis has several forms:
Squamous
It is characterized by peeling of the skin on the arches of the feet, possibly spreading to the surface of the toes. Areas of skin thickening and lamellar peeling may also be seen.
intertriginous
It looks like interdigital diaper rash. The inflammatory process is usually localized between the 3rd and 4th toes. The corneum layer softens, loosens and flakes. Cracks and a whitish coating appear. Itching and burning begin. Addition of pyococcus (pustular infection) and yeast flora is possible, then the affected areas are covered with purulent-bloody crusts.
Dyshidrotic
It is characterized by the appearance of bubbles filled with transparent liquid and covered with a thick layer of corneum on the lateral surface of the feet and on the surfaces of the fingers in contact with it. Sago grains (vesicles) may be single or may coalesce into multi-chambered vesicles. As the pyococci merge, the contents of the vesicles become cloudy, then open and form erosions covered with purulent-hemorrhagic crusts. Some patients report inflammation of the lymph nodes and deterioration of general health.
2/3 of patients with intertriginous and dyshidrotic forms of epidermophytosis have mycids (allergic rash).
Of course, the identification of clinical forms of epidermophytosis is conditional, because their combination often occurs; one form can transform into another. It all depends on the reaction of the body, physical activity and treatment methods of the patient.
Also, with mycosis of the feet, the nails are often affected, mainly on the first and fifth toes. The nail plate acquires yellowish spots or stripes, the surface becomes dull and uneven, and a horny thickening begins to appear under the nail, which subsequently leads to the destruction of the nail plate.
By watching the relevant video on the Internet, you can learn that foot fungus can be caused by various factors, and in order to choose the treatment tactics of this disease, it is necessary to determine the type of fungus and determine the reason for its appearance.
Causes of foot fungus
The main causes of athlete's foot are:
- Excessive sweating or, on the contrary, increased dryness and peeling of the feet. These processes disrupt the protective function of skin cells.
- Anatomical features: narrow spaces between the fingers and their deformation, flat feet.
- Problems with thermoregulation (maintenance of a certain body temperature) and microcirculation (transportation of biological fluids).
- Wounds, wounds that violate the integrity of the skin. Infections often occur through these injuries.
- The presence of diseases that reduce immunity or cause metabolic disorders (for example, endocrinopathies, blood diseases, oncology, etc. ).
- Taking certain drugs (antibacterial, cytostatic, corticosteroid).
Often, fungal infections of the feet are combined with pustular rashes, so there are speculations about the relationship between them: thanks to pyococci, dermatophytes penetrate deep into the subcutaneous tissue, and long-lasting mycoses contribute to the formation of cracks, scratches and erosions. increased susceptibility to infection.
Viral infection often occurs with athlete's foot. For example, the causative agent of rubromycosis activates papillomaviruses and herpes viruses. This is manifested by an increase in the concentration of viruses on the surface of cells infected with fungi.
The source of the spread of the disease is people suffering from mycosis: in the peeling process, skin flakes containing the pathogens of the fungal infection are separated. These infected scales are often found on the floor and in swimming pools, bathroom equipment, and pedicure tools.
An interesting fact is that mushrooms have high durability and can be stored in thermal springs, chlorinated and ozone water for 12-18 days. Water with a large amount of salt or hydrogen sulfide is harmful to fungi.
Thus, we must remember that the common mechanisms contributing to the development of foot fungus are the disruption of the body's natural resistance, changes in immune and metabolic processes.
Diagnosis of athlete's foot
Diagnosis of athlete's foot includes:
- Assessment of patient complaints and the presence of chronic diseases.
- Microscopic examination of the affected skin and nail particles.
- Cultivation is the cultivation of pathogenic microorganisms and their subsequent accurate identification, as well as placing them in food media for the evaluation of the activity of antifungal drugs and the determination of the sensitivity of fungi to them.
In order to choose the right therapy, it is important to determine whether the changes in the skin of the feet are a fungal infection or dyshidrotic eczema, keratoderma, psoriasis and other skin diseases.
Antifungal drugs, agents, antimycotics
Antifungal agents: classification and types of dosage forms. Methods of using antimycotics.
Treatment of foot fungus
The treatment of foot fungus should be comprehensive, not only to suppress the spread of pathogenic microorganisms and eliminate symptoms, but also to destroy pathogens and eliminate the cause of their occurrence (increase immunity, immediately treat small wounds on the legs, etc. ). Treatment of concomitant diseases that cause the development of fungal infections is mandatory.
In addition, some people may have allergic reactions to certain mushrooms (for example, mykids). In such cases, antihistamines (antiallergic) drugs may be necessary.
To treat mycosis, as a rule, topical preparations are used, that is, they are applied directly to the affected area of the skin. Such products are produced in the form of ointments, creams, sprays, solutions and varnishes (for nails).
Depending on the mechanism of action, antifungal agents can have a fungistatic effect, inhibiting the growth and reproduction of fungi, or they can have a fungicidal effect and contribute to the death of fungi.
Since mycoses of the feet are most often provoked by a mixed fungal flora, it is most effective to use broad-spectrum agents. These include drugs with anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects.
The use of special products in the treatment of foot fungus
Modern antimycotic drugs are highly effective against pathogenic fungi of the genus Candida, dermatophytes (Trichophyton, Microsporum) and other causative agents of skin infections, gram-positive strains of staphylococci and streptococci. They inhibit the growth and reproduction of fungi (fungistatic effect), destroy fungi when used in therapeutic doses (fungicidal effect), have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects.