Cutaneous candidiasis is a fungal infection that can affect any skin area on the body, causing itching, rashes, and skin lesions. Risk factors include obesity, poor hygiene, and diabetes. Treatment includes topical antifungal creams or oral medications, and maintaining dry skin. Nail infections and immunodeficiency diseases can also be caused by candidiasis.
Candidiasis is a common infection caused by one of the Candida species of fungi. When Candida infects the skin, the resulting disease is called cutaneous candidiasis. Diaper rash, oral thrush, and vaginal yeast infections are all examples of skin candidiasis.
Candida are yeasts approximately 4 microns to 6 microns in length. They reproduce by sprouting new yeasts from the sourdough cell. Candida group members are found naturally on the skin, in the mouth, vagina and intestines. They cause disease through overgrowth under certain conditions, such as high blood sugar, antibiotic treatment, or poor hygiene. The group includes 154 species, but Candida albicans species is the most common cause of cutaneous candidiasis.
Symptoms of a Candida skin infection include itching, rashes, and skin lesions. Skin lesions can have satellite lesions, meaning that smaller lesions appear near larger lesions. The affected area is red with inflammation, and the rash spreads outward. Hair follicles can also become infected, creating a condition known as folliculitis, and then pimples appear on the skin.
The most common sites for candidiasis are moist, warm, creased areas such as the groin or armpits, but the infection can affect almost any skin area on the body. Diaper rash occurs because the skin under the diaper is kept warm and moist. Cutaneous candidiasis can also cause nail infections and corner of the mouth infections.
Risk factors for skin candidiasis include obesity, poor hygiene, and diabetes. Antibiotic treatment and oral contraceptives also increase the risk of developing the disease. People with immunodeficiency diseases and people who have recently taken antibiotics are more likely than the general population to develop oral candidiasis.
Doctors diagnose the disease primarily by the appearance of the skin, but they may also do skin scrapings for microbiological identification of the yeast. Treatment includes topical antifungal creams or ointments for skin infections, but people with nail infections or infections involving the mouth, throat, or vagina can take medications by mouth. The skin should also be kept dry and exposed to air. Cutaneous candidiasis in obese people can be eliminated through weight loss, and diabetics can reduce the risk by avoiding high blood sugar levels.
Nail infection can cause nails to grow strangely. The disease in immunocompromised people can spread throughout the body. Cutaneous candidiasis is treatable, but recurrent infections are common.
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