Mycosis of the feet (ICD code 10 B35. 3) is a fungal infection of the skin of the feet caused by parasitic dermatophytes. It occurs in about 20% of adults. Infection occurs through microtraumas, scratches, abrasions, wounds. The development of the disease is encouraged by wet feet, diabetes and weakened immunity.
Among people with endocrine diseases, conditions of immune deficiency, the prevalence reaches 50%. More often the disease is chronic, with alternating periods of remission and exacerbations. In 40-50% of cases, mycosis of the feet causes onychomycosis or fungal infection of the nails.
Where and why does the infection occur?
Mycosis of the feet is a contagious disease that is easily transmitted through direct contact with a fungal carrier or through household items. For example, through shoes, socks, towel, manicure supplies, rubber mats in the shower. In 70-95% of cases, the cause of mycosis of the feet is Trichophyton red (Tr. Rubrum).
The infection usually occurs in public places with high humidity, where there are favorable conditions for reproduction and spread of the pathogen. Such places include swimming pools, public showers, saunas, water parks, changing rooms for fitness. If a person infected with the fungus walks barefoot on the floor or carpets in the shower, he will leave infectious particles behind. And if then a healthy person steps on this place barefoot, then the pathogen will fall on his skin. In this case, the fungus does not always appear immediately and causes the characteristic symptoms of the disease. With strong immunity, the absence of health problems, a person remains simply a carrier of the infection, but at the same time does not get sick.
The risks of getting fungus and developing athlete's foot increase:
- damage to the integrity of the skin;
- disturbance of the blood supply to the limbs, in which the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues deteriorates, regenerative processes are slowed down, local immunity is weakened;
- diabetes mellitus, high levels of glucose in the blood create favorable conditions for the growth of the fungus, the progression of the infection;
- excessive sweating;
- dry skin leading to microcracks;
- old age;
- blood diseases;
- long-term use of antibiotics, drugs that suppress immunity;
- vitamin deficiency;
- Wearing airtight shoes that create a "greenhouse effect".
Symptoms and types of disease
Foot fungal infectionsmanifest themselves in different ways, the type of pathogen and the severity of the lesion affect the symptoms. The first signs of the disease appear in the folds between the fingers and from there spread to the plantar, lateral, posterior and nails.
What they look likefeet with mycosis is shown in the photo.
When the nails become infected, there is thickening, loss of shine, blurring of the plate. The nail acquires a yellow, gray hue, becomes brittle, crumbles.
Early clinical symptoms of athlete's foot include dryness, flaking of the skin, painless cracks in the folds between the toes. This form of the disease is called erased. Peling and cracks do not initially cause pain, itching or discomfort. Only a doctor cannotehedgehogs the first unexpressed signs of fungal infection. In addition to the deleted, there are other clinical forms of mycosis of the feet, each of which has its own symptoms.
Squamous
In the squamous form of mycosis of the feet there is flaking in the folds between the toes and on the sides. As a rule, there are no signs of inflammation. There may be redness, damage to the nails, itching, thickening of the stratum corneum, which gives the skin a glow. The papillary lines become more pronounced and the surface of the skin becomes dry, covered with lamellar scales. In this case, the patient does not feel itching or other unpleasant sensations.
Hyperkeratotic
Looks like a rash on the arches. The surface of the elements of the rash is covered with layered scales of gray-white color. There is a separation of the epidermis, single vesicles. When they merge with each other, the rash forms indistinct large foci that spread throughout the sole, including the lateral, dorsal surfaces. Along with the foci of peeling, there are areas of hyperkeratosis or thickening of the skin. They look like calluses with cracks on top. In the hyperkeratotic form of mycosis of the feet, the affected area is similar to the manifestations of psoriasis or eczema. One worries about dryness, itching, and sometimes pain.
Intertriginous
Intertriginous form of athlete's foot is similar to the symptoms of diaper rash. Hence the name from the Latin intertrigo - "diaper rash". More often the skin is affected in the intervals between the third and fourth, fourth and fifth fingers. It becomes bright red, swollen. Weeping wounds, deep, painful cracks are formed. diaper rash, lesions in intertriginous mycosis are round with clear contours, with white contours dividing at the edges of the epidermis. The person experiences itching, burning, soreness.
Dyshydroticof mycosis of the feet are characterized by numerous vesicles with a thick tip, located mainly on the arches. The rash spreads to large areas of the feet, as well as in the spaces between the toes and the skin of the toes. Combine to form large bubbles. In place ofWet erosion occurs, the skin becomes red and swollen as the inflammation increases, and the patient experiences unbearable itching at the stage of vesicle formation.
Diagnosis
If you suspect athlete's foot, you should see a dermatologist. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will examine the legs, ask about what symptoms bother the person, how long ago and after which they appeared. Take a scraping of the affected area for microscopic analysis, culture examination to identify a specific type of pathogen. In addition, your doctor may order blood tests.
How to treat athlete's foot?
Mycologist or dermatologist deals with the treatment of mycosis of the skin of the feet. Taking into account the clinical form of the disease, the severity of the lesion, the visible changes, the doctor will choose adequate therapy.
Complications of fungal infection of the feet can lead to fungal infection of the hands. Mycosis of the feet sometimes leads to secondary bacterial infections, especially when there are wet wounds on the skin.
External fungicides (ointments, creams), tablets for oral administration are prescribed to control the fungus. Only topical therapy is effective in milder forms of athlete's foot. According to clinical guidelines, oral medications are prescribed in severe cases.
If necessary, treatment is supplemented with anti-inflammatory, dehydrating, antiseptic, anti-allergic drugs, agents that improve the regeneration of damaged tissues. If there are signs of a bacterial infection, antibiotic therapy is prescribed.
In onychomycosis, hardware cleaning of the areas infected with the fungus is performed. For further treatment of the nails are prescribed local antifungal agents: varnish, cream or ointment.
The duration of treatment is from two weeks to a month. If not only the skin but also the nails are affected, the treatment is postponed. This is due to the fact that the nail grows slowly. To get rid of the infection, it is necessary for a completely healthy nail plate to grow back.
When a doctor's prescription is followed, mycosis can be successfully treated. But if, noticing improvement, the patient stops taking medication, it leads to a return of the infection, its transition to a chronic form. It is necessary to complete the full course, even if the symptoms of the disease have already disappeared.
Very important in the treatment of athlete's foot foot care, personal hygiene, diet, choice of comfortable shoes that do not hurt the affected areas.
What to do for prevention?
To avoid mycoses of the feet and nails or to reduce the risks of their development, the following recommendations will help you:
- keep under control chronic diseases in which blood circulationin the lower part the limbs are disturbed or the body's defenses are reduced;
- Wash your feet daily with soap and water, then dry them with a towel, especially the folds between the toes;
- ventilate your shoes and change your socks every day;
- Wear closed rubber slippers when visiting public showers, saunas, swimming pools, baths;
- in case of excessive sweating use antiperspirants for feet, disinfectants for shoes, do not wear other people's shoes, socks, tights;
- don't use someone else's towel, towel.
If you find even a slight flaking of the skin on your feet or cracks between your toes, it's worth testing for fungus. Early diagnosis and timely treatment will help avoid complications, major damage, discomfort, pain when walking and getting a bacterial infection.