TINEA (FUNGAL) INFECTION
Fungal infection of skin is of various types/causes, but commonest type is tinea infection.
- 1. Why it is cause of concern?
- Because this infection has reached epidemic proportion in INDIA.
- Increasing resistant to antifungal drugs, mostly due to use of steroid based creams, oral and injectable steroids. These steroids cause temporary relief in itching but suppress body immunity leading to increased fungal growth
- Increasing infection in children
- 2. What are types of Tinea infection?
- Tinea infection of body (T. corporis), groin (T.cruris), foot (T. pedis), scalp (T. capitis), nails (T. unguium) etc.
- 3. Symptoms and signs
- Redness, itching and scaling with ring like lesions
- Patch of hair loss in scalp
- Thick and discolored nails
- 4. Treatment
- Most important is to seek treatment in early stage
- Don’t self-medicate/don’t take medicine from chemist shop without doctor consultation
- Take treatment from skin specialist only
- Oral and topical antifungal drugs needed, treatment need to be continued for some period even after lesion improvement. Now a days 2 to 3 months treatment usually needed.
- Prevention
- Regular bathing and cleaning of body.
- Don’t wear wet clothes.
- Take shower after heavy physical activity
- Don’t wear tight clothes
- Don’t share clothes, towels, soap etc. with infected person
- Laundry of clothes of infected person should be done separate and clothes should be dried in sunlight for atleast 2 hrs.
- Eat healthy diet