Also called: Also called: Mycoses
If you have ever had athlete's foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is actually a primitive vegetable. Mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples. Fungi live in air, in soil, on plants and in water. Some live in the human body. Only about half of all types of fungi are harmful.
Some fungi reproduce through tiny spores in the air. You can inhale the spores or they can land on you. As a result, fungal infections often start in the lungs or on the skin. You are more likely to get a fungal infection if you have a weakened immune system or take antibiotics.
Fungi can be difficult to kill. For skin and nail infections, you can apply medicine directly to the infected area. Oral antifungal medicines are also available for serious infections.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Understanding Microbes in Sickness and in Health
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - Large PDF file - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/microbes/PDF/microbesbook.htm
- Fungal Infections(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/fungal.html
- Rise in Cases of 'Valley Fever' Seen in California(02/12/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_80261.html
- Fungal Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/fungal/test.html
- Skin Rashes and Other Changes(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/545.printerview.html
- Fungus Infections: Preventing Recurrence(American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) - http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/fungus_preventing.html
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Histoplasmosis -- Protecting Workers at Risk(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-109/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-109/pdfs/2005-109FS-sp.pdf
- Aspergillosis (Aspergillus)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/aspergillosis_gi.html
- Blastomycosis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/blastomycosis_gi.html
- Coccidioidomycosis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/coccidioidomycosis_gi.html
- Cryptococcus (Cryptococcosis)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/cryptococcus_gi.html
- Fungal Sinusitis(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Fungal-Sinusitis.cfm
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Histoplasmosis(National Eye Institute) - http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/histoplasmosis/
- Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2060087&content_id=%7bE543BA3E-A244-4248-8075-F40FF9247601%7d¬oc=1
- Mucormycosis(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec17/ch197/ch197h.html
- Nail Fungus & Nail Health(American Academy of Dermatology) - http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_nail.html
- Paracoccidioidomycosis(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec17/ch197/ch197i.html
- Pneumonia in Immunocompromised People(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec04/ch042/ch042d.html
- Sporotrichosis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/sporotrichosis_gi.html
- Valley Fever(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/valley-fever/DS00695/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Histoplasmosis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Histoplasmosis%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Mycoses(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Mycoses%22
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Fungal Infections(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/fungal/
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Diagnosis: Dermatophytid reaction (Id reaction). Commentary. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19367834&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Coccidioidomycosis and tuberculosis coinfection at a tuberculosis hospital: clinical features... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19352301&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Risk factors for mortality from primary cryptococcosis in patients with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19332968&tool=MedlinePlus
- Fungal Infections -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=mycoses[majr]+OR+fungal+vaccines[majr]+OR+antifungal+agents[majr]+NOT+(candidiasis[mh]+OR+candida[mh]+OR+histoplasmosis[mh]+OR+pneumocystis+infections[mh]+OR+pneumocystis[mh]+OR+tinea[mh]+OR+tinea+versicolor[mh]+OR+aspergillosis[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Aspergillosis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=aspergillosis[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Histoplasmosis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=histoplasmosis[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Fungal Infections - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=Fungal+Infections
- National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
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Fungal Infections(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/skin/fungus.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/sano/germs_esp.html
- Athlete's Foot - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/athletesfoot.html
- Molds - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/molds.html
- Tinea Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tineainfections.html
- Yeast Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/yeastinfections.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Skin, Hair and Nails - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skinhairandnails.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Fungal Infections is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/