Infectious diseases are defined by dermatologists as one of the most dangerous groups of diseases for the population.The clinical picture, course, appearance and spread of infectious diseases are characterized by certain signs that significantly distinguish them from other pathologies.
Fungal infection of the feet
Each infection has its own specific pathogen, which can be zoonosis, anthroponosis or zoonosis, i.e. parasitizing only animals or humans, or both animals and humans.
Infections are contagious diseases and can be transmitted from an infected organism to a healthy one.The mass spread of an infectious disease leads to an epidemic.
After an illness, the body develops resistance or immunity to the causative agent of this illness, which prevents re-infection.
Experts classify infectious diseases as pathologies characterized by a certain cyclic course with a clear sequence of disease periods: the incubation period or the period of hidden symptoms, the prodromal period, which is characterized by mildly expressed main symptoms, the height of the disease with clearly expressed main and secondary symptoms, disappearance of clinical manifestations and complete recovery.
Despite the fact that there are many causative agents of infectious diseases, and the diseases they cause differ in external manifestations, predisposing factors and methods of elimination, infectious diseases have a similar number of clinical manifestations: a sudden increase in body temperature to fever and acceleration of the body's basic metabolic reactions.
Fungal infections spread quite easily and quickly, which is a consequence of the conditional pathogenicity of fungal microorganisms.This means that fungi are constantly present in the environment and the human body, showing their presence only if our normal living conditions change to those suitable for the spread and reproduction of fungi.
The signal for the pathological proliferation of the fungus, which leads to the appearance 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 in our epithelial tissue, so, for the sake of more practical extraction of keratin, they settle mainly in those places of the skin where the epidermis is the most sensitive and thin, for example, in the folds between the fingers and toes.
The most common type of fungus is foot fungus, because feet can stay in closed, uncomfortable shoes for a long time.Walking for a long time in closed shoes causes increased sweating of the feet, which creates an ideal environment for the development of a fungal infection.
The appearance of a mycotic disease most often indicates the presence of factors predisposing to infection in the body.Reduced immunity, which can be observed in chronic diseases, diabetes mellitus, kidney and liver failure, blood circulation disorders, gastrointestinal disorders and constant psycho-emotional background contribute to a general decrease in the body's protective functions, which makes it susceptible to the aggressive action of environmental factors and pathogenic microorganisms.
In most cases, athlete's foot begins to develop in the folds between the toes, spreading from there to the sides of the feet, and then covers the fungus and ankles.In the case of ineffective elimination of the infection or lack of appropriate treatment, fungal toxins can enter the blood and circulate in the bloodstream.This can lead to disruption of physiological processes in internal organs, disruption of their integrity and structure, which will negatively affect the maintenance of the stability of the body's internal environment and its overall vital activity.
Externally, mycotic infection is manifested by thickening of the infected skin area, microcracks and microtraumas, constant peeling of the epidermis, pathological dryness of the surface layers of the skin, intense itching and burning, increased pain;signs of inflammatory processes may appear on the surface of the epithelial tissue;in more severe stages, blisters filled with liquid appear on the epidermis, due to which the skin underneath softens and is quite susceptible to deformation.
Membrane foot fungus, in addition to the general signs of parasitism by fungal microorganisms, is also characterized by a specific localization, as it most often occurs in the folds between the 4th and 5th toes.It is characterized by the characteristic appearance of scaling in the area of the source of infection and contributes to the regular occurrence of cracks in the integumentary tissues.Due to damage to the integrity of the epithelial tissue in the background of a fungal disease, a bacterial infection can also develop in the body, the pathogens of which enter the external environment through wounds and microcracks.
Moccasin-like fungi, as well as shoes, can cover the entire foot, increasing the area of parasitism from the toes to the ankle and heel.When infected with moccasin-like foot fungus, a person feels constant pain in the area of the most active division of fungal cells, increased itching, thickening of the surface layers of the epithelial tissue of the sole, and the skin itself becomes hypersensitive to the effects of excessively high and cold temperatures and is prone to frequent microtraumas.
If a fungus appears on the nail plate, the nail begins to thicken, rises above the nail fold, or, on the contrary, is pressed inward, creating strong pressure on the skin below.If a fungal infection is not treated right away, the nail will begin to crumble and may eventually separate from the nail bed.
Vesicular fungus on the feet causes the greatest physical discomfort to a person, because it is usually characterized by the appearance of subcutaneous blisters filled with clear fluid on the bottom of the feet.They can often crack, which causes discomfort and pain, accompanied by severe itching and burning, maceration of the skin and damage to the skin of the feet from the inside.A fungal infection can lead to a bacterial infection, which will develop in response to a decrease in the strength of the body's immune defenses.
Depending on the degree of development of the fungal infection, the nature of the disease and the general clinical picture, the doctor may prescribe local, systemic or combined treatment.
Local treatment of foot fungus is carried out with external drugs, for example, varnishes, powders, gels, sprays, tonics, ointments and creams.
Systemic therapy includes the use of drugs for internal use, which are prescribed in the case of prolonged circulation of the causative agent of a fungal infection in the blood in the later stages of the disease, when the use of drugs locally did not give the desired effect.Systemic therapy as an independent method of eliminating fungi is rarely prescribed, because it is most often combined with the use of external fungicidal drugs, which is called combined treatment.
Experts have found that drug groups such as allylamines and azoles are the best to deal with foot fungus.Medicines containing active ingredients from the group of allylamines or azoles inhibit the activity of the fungus, slow down its growth, stop reproduction and use the mycelium - the products of its vital activity.
The most common ingredients found in antifungal topical medications are naftifine, terbinafine, butenafine, itraconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, and miconazole.Dermatologists often advise people suffering from fungal infections of the feet to take medication to act externally on the source of the infection.The course of treatment is from 7 to 10 days.
Medicines for oral administration are prescribed by doctors very carefully and only in extreme cases, when the fungus has already caused serious damage to human health or continues to multiply actively, despite the regular use of local antifungal agents.Many side effects and various contraindications can complicate the treatment of fungal disease, creating an additional burden on the body, which is already exhausted by the fight against the pathogenic activity of fungi.
Dermatologists most often prescribe drugs with the active ingredients terbinafine and itraconazole for internal use, prescribing an individual dosage regimen.Adults are prescribed therapy that lasts several weeks, and sometimes several months if the disease is already in an advanced stage.Itraconazole tablets and capsules are taken 2 tablets at a dose of 100 mg every day for at least a week, the substance terbinafine is taken daily at a dose of 250 mg for 7 to 20 days.
Systematic adherence to the main rules of prevention, regular washing of personal belongings, wearing high-quality comfortable shoes and periodic treatment of clothes and personal hygiene items with antifungal spray, as well as disinfection of the bathroom, toilet and floor coverings will help you protect yourself from infection with pathogenic fungal microorganisms, as well as from a long-term negative course of treatment, as well as from a long-term negative treatment.