A fungal infection impacts the top layer of the skin, hair or nails, and is usually caused by a dermophyte, which is a type of fungus. Easy-to-treat fungal infections, while not life-threatening, may become more serious or may even indicate a more serious immune deficiency problem. Numerous foot fungus types exist, from common varieties that cause athlete's foot and toenail infection to rarer types like those that cause a condition known as Madura foot.
Athlete's Foot
Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, presents as a persistent, burning itch between the toes with damp, soft, red, cracked, peeling skin; blisters; and dead skin patches on the feet. A strong or unusual odor may accompany these symptoms. This condition, while not usually serious, can worsen in those with impaired blood flow to the feet. Treatment includes the use of antifungalcides and herbal remedies. Physicians recommend keeping the feet dry, changing socks often and wearing sandals to avoid contracting this type of foot fungus.
Toenail Fungus
Nail fungus, also called onychomycosis, often impacts the end of the nail by separating it from the nail bed. Debris gets under the nail plate, making it look as if the nail is discolored. According to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System, nearly half of the 11 million Americans who suffer from nail fungus will have it in at least one toenail by the time they reach age 70. Chronically hard to treat because of the dark, moist conditions often found in shoes and socks, topical and oral treatments remain the most effective solutions.
Madura Foot
Mycetoma is a chronic tumorous infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by the fungi eumycetoma. According to a 2009 article in the "Journal of Global Infectious Diseases," 70 percent of these infections occur on the foot and generally are contracted in the tropics and subtropics. The condition, also known as Madura foot, is so named because of the region of India in which it was first noted in 1842. Madura foot commonly occurs in agricultural workers or those who walk barefoot in arid conditions. Treatment of this foot fungus generally includes surgery since anti-fungal therapy is not 100 percent effective, according to the "Journal of Global Infectious Diseases," and most cases are not diagnosed until the infection reaches a late stage.
References
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine: Fungal Infection
- University of Michigan Health System: Athlete's Foot
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System: Toenail Fungus
- "Journal of Global Infectious Diseases"; Histological Diagnosis of Madura Foot (Mycetoma): A Must for Definitive Treatment; Kiran Alam et al.; 2009
