Fungal infections quite often affect people of different ages and gender. Fungi of the genus Candida, which are present in the body of almost every person, begin to be activated when certain factors are exposed, causing the development of an ailment such as thrush or candidiasis of the skin. This phenomenon, in addition to the aesthetic defect, causes a number of complications, so the disease is considered serious. Moreover, the disease affects not only adults, but also children, especially newborns. The ailment is often manifested due to a decrease in immunity, hormonal changes in the body and frequent infectious diseases.
Disease characteristic
Candidiasis of the skin and mucous membranes is an ailment manifested in the form of edematous areas that have a red tint and accommodate papules, erosion or vesicles. Most often, such phenomena are formed in the skin folds of the armpits, inguinal region, mammary glands and between the phalanges of the fingers.
Candida mushrooms are in a healthy body in a passive state. If the immune system is impaired, they are activated and multiply rapidly, as a result of which toxins are released, which damage tissues and even internal organs, contributing to the infection. An infected person begins to show candidiasis of skin folds. If untreated, the disease becomes chronic, in which the skin can be completely affected. This phenomenon is inherent in people with serious chronic pathologies and those who have HIV. When pus appears on pathological skin areas, we can talk about the neglect of the disease, therefore, it is urgent to contact a medical institution.
Doctors say that cutaneous candidiasis is a nosocomial infection. 10% of people become infected with this disease in a hospital setting; in half the cases, the disease leads to damage to internal organs and death.
Epidemiology
Candidiasis of the skin (the photo is presented in the article) can be observed in people of different nationality, gender and age group. Candida mushrooms enter the body for the first time at the time of birth. Often the causative agent of the infection is found on food, household items, raw meat and milk. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children and the elderly. But besides people, the carriers of the infection are animals and poultry. If a person has candidiasis of the skin, this may indicate a violation of the immune or endocrine system.
Causes of the disease
Candidiasis of the skin and mucous membranes can occur as a result of external and internal negative factors:
- An upset in metabolic processes that results in diabetes and obesity.
- Dysbacteriosis
- Exhaustion, lack of vitamins.
- Long-term use of antibacterial drugs and corticosteroids.
- Intoxication with alcohol and drugs.
- Period of pregnancy.
- Chronic Depression
- Injury to the skin, as a result of which the pathogen of infection gets through wounds or microcracks.
- Contact for a long period of time with substances that contain large amounts of sugar.
- Long stay in high humidity.
- HIV infection or AIDS.
- Congenital disease due to the presence of pathology in a pregnant woman, which is transmitted to the child during labor. This phenomenon is observed quite often today.
These provoking factors contribute to the activation and propagation of fungi in the human body. Children are most susceptible to the disease due to their age, fragile body and high activity, so skin candidiasis in children is diagnosed more often. Their illness often arises from eating food from dirty dishes in preschool institutions, habits of pulling dirty objects in their mouths.
Varieties of pathology
Depending on the localization of the abnormal process, candidiasis of the skin (photo provided above) can have several types:
- Urogenital candidiasis is characterized by the appearance of papules or erosion on the genitals. In this case, they speak of vulvovaginitis or balanitis.
- Candidiasis of smooth skin is caused by damage to the skin in the face, chest, abdomen, neck. Usually the disease develops in newborns.
- Candidiasis of the skin of the hands and feet, areas between the phalanges of the fingers. Pathology is inherent in children and people with harmful working conditions.
- Candidiasis folliculitis is characterized by damage to the armpits, beard, mustache, scalp.
- Paronychia is caused by the presence of candidiasis on the nail plates and the skin that surrounds them.
- Intertrigo, in which large areas of the skin are localized, located under the mammary glands, armpits, in the buttocks and thighs, groin and perineum.
- Lip candidiasis, in which the corners of the mouth are affected.
- Yeast stomatitis affecting the oral cavity, including tonsils, tongue.
- Diaper candidiasis is characterized by damage to the perineum in children.
- Dressing candidiasis is observed in bedridden patients or those who wear plaster.
Typically, the infection manifests itself in several areas of the skin.
Candidiasis form
Candidiasis of the skin has two forms: acute and chronic. A chronic disease is difficult to treat, as new skin areas are affected when relapses occur.
Depending on the type of skin manifestations of the disease, it is customary to distinguish:
- Vesicular form. It is caused by the formation of papules and bubbles on the skin that burst, in their place appearing moist areas that are covered with a curd coating.
- Erythematous form. It is characterized by edema and redness of the affected areas, the appearance of erosion, which is prone to expressions.
Also, skin candidiasis can be superficial, which affects the surface layer of the skin, and deep when the infection penetrates into the deeper layers of the epidermis. In the second case, the disease is considered extremely dangerous, as it often leads to death as a result of damage to internal organs.
Symptoms of pathology
Skin candidiasis symptoms are obvious. Redness, swelling forms on the skin, then papules appear. With their expression, erosion is formed with a cheesy coating, which have pronounced boundaries. First, candidiasis appears in the area of large folds of skin that are located in the chest, buttocks and groin. Affected areas begin to itch. Depending on the localization of the pathological process, the ailment may exhibit symptoms such as cracking in the corners of the mouth, the presence of whitish spots in the oral cavity, inability to swallow, itching of the genitals, white discharge from them, pain in the affected areas. When combing papules, wounds may appear, through which secondary infections often penetrate.
In the case of severe pathologies of the immune or endocrine system, the disease manifests such signs as the formation of blue or brown flaky spots on the skin, the appearance of bald patches on the head, the development of erosions on the genitals that constantly bleed, and the formation of constantly wetting patches. In this case, a person may experience constant fatigue, weakness, dizziness.
The negative consequences of pathology
In the absence of therapy, the disease acquires a chronic form, which is characterized by a constant expansion of abnormal skin sites. For example, candidiasis of the skin of the face without proper treatment over time can cover the entire area of the head. A serious violation of the immune system leads to the development of diseases of the internal organs. Often candidiasis can cause meningitis, encephalitis, pathologies of the kidneys and liver, heart, eyes, and so on. There is a risk of spreading infection through the bloodstream throughout the body, which can lead to the development of sepsis and death.
Diagnostic measures
Diagnosis begins with a history and examination of the patient. The doctor determines the presence of pathological areas of the skin. He takes a scraping from such a site and the presence of infectious fungi. To reduce the type of pathogen of infection, as well as to identify its reaction to antifungal drugs, bacteriosis is performed. Very often, the patient is prescribed ELISA, RIF or PCR. These methods allow you to determine the number of mushrooms in the body. To study the causes of the disease, laboratory tests, an immunogram and an HIV test are performed.
Differential diagnosis
Skin candidiasis must be differentiated with diseases such as psoriasis, seborrhea, eczema, dermatitis, inguinal epidermophytosis, ringworm and other fungal diseases. Also, the doctor must distinguish between candidiasis and a disease such as pseudomycosis. In case of damage to the nail plates and groin area, the doctor should exclude the possibility of pathogenic bacteria, and not fungi, entering the body.
Therapy
Candidiasis skin treatment involves a comprehensive. The doctor prescribes antifungal drugs, therapy of internal organs, correction of the immune system, the exclusion of negative factors contributing to the appearance of pathology.
Treatment of cutaneous candidiasis is as follows:
- Elimination of the causative agent of the infection with the help of antiseptics, antibiotics and special ointments.
- Elimination of the source of the disease with the help of ointments, candle solutions.
- Treatment of chronic diseases.
In the case of a mild disease, laser therapy, the use of creams and ointments, compresses can be prescribed.
The duration of treatment depends on the age of the patient, the stage and form of the disease, the presence of concomitant diseases, and the dosage of drugs. With the use of small doses of drugs, the disease may return over time.
Doctors also recommend eating right, excluding sweets and carbohydrates from the diet, which contribute to the rapid multiplication of mushrooms. It is also necessary to monitor your weight. It is recommended to periodically use vitamin complexes and immunostimulants. After the disappearance of the signs of candidiasis, it is necessary to carry out maintenance therapy to reduce the risk of relapse. Such therapy is prescribed for twenty days. But there is always a risk of relapse, so it is recommended to periodically undergo scheduled examinations by a doctor. In severe cases of the disease, the doctor increases the dosage of drugs and develops a second course of treatment.
When treating children, a solution of manganese, chamomile, and soda is used. The solution washed the affected areas of the skin. It is possible to use special baby ointments and powders. The pediatrician prescribes the duration of treatment in each case.
Forecast
Cutaneous candidiasis is a dangerous disease, especially for those people who are at risk. The lack of treatment leads to complications and negative consequences, which are difficult to eliminate. Often, the disease provokes the development of pathology of the internal organs, which can cause the death of a person. With timely therapy, which did not interrupt and led to recovery, the prognosis will be good.
Prevention
For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to prevent the appearance of dysbiosis and fungal diseases. To do this, a person must eat right, including sour-milk products in the diet, as well as eliminating sweets and flour dishes from it, and not take antibiotics for a long period of time. Bedridden patients, as well as those who suffer from cancer, HIV infection, diseases of the immune and endocrine systems, blood, it is necessary to periodically be screened for the presence of fungal infections in the body.
Finally ...
Candida mushrooms are quite common in nature, they are part of the normal microflora of the oral cavity, genitals and intestines of many healthy people. Under the influence of negative factors, their number increases rapidly, there is a risk of developing skin candidiasis.
For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to diagnose and treat candidiasis in pregnant women, infants, people who have harmful working conditions or intestinal dysbiosis. Compliance with all the recommendations and prescriptions of the doctor allows you to come to a full recovery.