Fungal Infections

Summary

If you have ever had athlete’s foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is a primitive organism. 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

Specifics

• Blastomycosis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• C. gattii Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Cryptococcosis (C. neoformans) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Fungal Diseases: Ringworm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Fungal Keratitis American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Fungal Meningitis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Fungal Sinusitis American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
• Mucormycosis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Nail Fungal Infections American Academy of Family Physicians
• Nail Fungus Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Sporotrichosis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Tinea Versicolor American Academy of Dermatology

Patient Handouts

• Blastomycosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Cryptococcosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Fungal nail infection Medical Encyclopedia
• Mucormycosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Sputum fungal smear Medical Encyclopedia
• Tinea versicolor Medical Encyclopedia

Related Issues

• Cancer Patients and Fungal Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Hospitalized Patients and Fungal Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Medications that Weaken Your Immune System and Fungal Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Organ Transplant Patients and Fungal Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Outbreaks and Investigations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Stem Cell Transplant Patients and Fungal Infections Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Histoplasmosis National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Mycoses National Institutes of Health

Encyclopedia

• Fungal arthritis Medical Encyclopedia
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis Medical Encyclopedia
• Lymph node culture Medical Encyclopedia
• Skin lesion of blastomycosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Sporotrichosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Synovial biopsy Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Fungal Culture Test National Library of Medicine
• Rash Evaluation National Library of Medicine
• Skin Rashes and Other Problems American Academy of Family Physicians
• Sputum Culture National Library of Medicine

Start Here

• Fungal Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Children

• Fungal Diseases American Academy of Pediatrics

Statistics and Research

• Fungal Eye Infection Statistics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Fungus Infections: Preventing Recurrence American Osteopathic College of Dermatology
• Who Gets Fungal Infections? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Images

• Onychomycosis VisualDX
• Tinea Versicolor VisualDX

Journal Articles

• Fungal infections