Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pathology
Open Access

Fungal skin infection and fungal nail infection are gross and itchy, but they are not usually serious. Fungal infections like athlete’s foot, ringworm, and jock itch are easy to pick up and transmit to others. Healthy people do not usually experience a spread of fungus beyond the surface of the skin, so they are easy to treat. If you spend a lot of time at the gym or public pool, follow these steps to guard against fungal infections [1-3].

Ringworm

Tinea, or ringworm, is an organism that may cause fungal infection on the scalp, fungal infections on the face, or infections on other areas of the body. Ringworm creates a characteristic fungal infection skin rash that is circular, raised, red, and itchy. People usually pick up ringworm from other people, pets, or contaminated items that carry the organism. Keep your skin clean and dry to help prevent ringworm. Avoid sharing personal items, including towels, hair brushes, and combs to avoid spreading the infection. Ringworm is easily transmissible.

Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot is a type of fungal infection on the feet. It results in cracked, itching, burning, and peeling between the toes. The infection is caused by a type of ringworm often found in locker rooms, gyms, pool areas, towels, and shoes. Always wear shower shoes when you are in communal showers or pool areas. Wash and dry your feet thoroughly every day. Air out your shoes and let them dry before wearing them again. Put on clean socks daily [4].

Parasites are organisms that live off other organisms, or hosts, to survive. Some parasites don’t noticeably affect their hosts. Others grow, reproduce, or invade organ systems that make their hosts sick, resulting in a parasitic infection.

Parasitic infections are a big problem in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Malaria is one of the deadliest parasitic diseases. Parasitic infections can also occur in the United States. Common parasitic infections found in the United States include:

• Trichomoniasis

• Giardiasis

• Cryptosporidiosis

• Toxoplasmosis

A bacterial infection is a proliferation of a harmful strain of bacteria on or inside the body. Bacteria can infect any area of the body. Pneumonia, meningitis, and food poisoning are just a few illnesses that may be caused by harmful bacteria. Bacteria come in three basic shapes: rod-shaped (bacilli), spherical (cocci), or helical (spirilla). Bacteria may also be classified as gram-positive or gram-negative. Gram-positive bacteria have a thick cell wall while gram-negative bacteria do not. Gram staining, bacterial culture with antibiotic sensitivity determination and other tests like genetic analysis are used to identify bacterial strains and help determine the appropriate course of treatment.

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia bacterium which is spread by ticks. The most common sign of infection is an expanding red rash, known as erythema migrans, that appears at the site of the tick bite about a week after it occurred [5-8].

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection usually spread by sexual contact. The disease starts as a painless sore — typically on your genitals, rectum or mouth. Syphilis spreads from person to person via skin or mucous membrane contact with these sores [9].

After the initial infection, the syphilis bacteria can remain inactive (dormant) in your body for decades before becoming active again. Early syphilis can be cured, sometimes with a single shot (injection) of penicillin. Without treatment, syphilis can severely damage your heart, brain or other organs, and can be life-threatening. Syphilis can also be passed from mothers to unborn children [10].