Fungi and us
If you've had athlete's foot or a yeast infection, a fungus was to blame. Fungi are primitive organisms — mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples — that live in the air, soil, water and on plants, and some live in the human body. Only about half of all kinds of fungi are harmful.
How infections start
Some fungi reproduce by releasing tiny spores into the air. You can breathe them in, or they can land on you — which is why fungal infections often begin in the lungs or on the skin.
Higher risk: you are more likely to get a fungal infection if you have a weakened immune system or are taking antibiotics.
Treatment
Fungi can be hard to kill.
- For skin and nail infections, medicine can be applied directly to the infected area.
- For serious infections, antifungal medicines taken by mouth are available.
Sources
Based on "Fungal Infections," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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