Fungal Infections
Fungal infections in humans can range from common, mild superficial infections such as athlete's foot and vaginal and oral thrush to serious life-threatening diseases such as invasive aspergillosis. The yeasts responsible for thrush form part of the normal commensal flora in humans, living harmlessly on skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal and genital tracts until a change in the host allows them to cause infection.
Aspergillus flavus
Image used with permission
from The Aspergillus Trust
Recent Updates
19 October 2007: Voluntary surveillance data for candidaemia in 2006 published
20 April 2007: Investigation into the increase in Paecilomyces variotii isolates in the UK from blood culture and other sterile sites
2 March 2007:Tinea capitis in the United Kingdom: A report on its diagnosis, management and prevention.
3 November 2006: Suspected cases of Paecilomyces variotii pseudofungaemia
The dermatophytes, or ringworm fungi, which cause athlete's foot and other infections of the skin, hair and nails are dependent on a human or animal host and are passed from person to person or animal to person. Most fungi, however, are free living in the environment and few of these are capable of causing infection in an otherwise healthy individual but can be responsible for life-threatening infections in patients with lowered immunity.
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