Beware of finding fungus in unlikely places

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, ate both healthy and unhealthy food, sweet and savory, got a lot of rest, didn't worry about calories, got a run or two in, ate protein and fiber and didn't avoid the pies.

As tempted as I am to advise you on how to work off your post-Thanksgiving bellies, I have no intention of doing so myself, and I would much rather write about something less seasonal - fungus, to be exact. Fungus that eats people.

There are three genera of fungus associated with people-eating: Trcihophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum. Many fungal infections are caused by combinations of fungi from these three genera. Infections can occur anywhere on the body, although they're more likely to be in warm, moist places such as the webbing between the toes or fingers, the groin or the scalp.

Tinea capitis, ringworm of the scalp and of the hair, is generally found in children, and often disappears spontaneously at puberty. Infection may also occur in the eyebrows or eyelashes. Infection begins at the hair follicle, creating spreading red lesions on the scalp. The fungus may eat channels into the hair follicle, causing broken, brittle hair, or extend through the hair cuticle and cause hair loss. The infected area may be red, itchy and scaly, and the scalp may become soft and tender, or covered with crusty, pus-filled sores. All in all, a very nasty condition. Treatment includes antifungal medications and medicated shampoo.

Next, Tinea pedis - every athlete's peeve. Athlete's foot is common among athletes because they tend to have moister, warmer feet than the rest of us, and they share showers, gym floors and sometimes even socks. The four different kinds of Athlete's Foot are Interdigital, Moccasin, Inflammatory and Ulcerative.

Interdigital fungus occurs, as predicted, on the webbing between your toes. It causes moisture, peeling, dry flakes and cracking between the toes. Moccasin fungus is named thus because of its scaly distribution on the soles of the feet. Inflammatory Athlete's Foot is particularly icky; it forms painful blister-like, pus-filled vesicles surrounded by scaling. Ulcerative Athlete's Foot seems to me to be the most lamentable of all. It is characterized by acute ulceration of large areas of the soles, along with lesions and erosions. This most often occurs in the web spaces between the toes, but spreads rapidly, and is often followed by a secondary bacterial infection and an undesirable odor.

The best way to avoid any kind of Athlete's foot is to keep your ambulatory regions unsuitable for fungus; that is, clean and dry. Change your socks frequently, wash the floor and wear sandals in public showers. Treatment of Athlete's foot may only require antifungal foot powders, but may require prescribed oral antifungals or antifungal creams and soaps.

Unfortunately for jocks, Athlete's foot is not necessarily restricted to your footpaws; it can be transferred to the groin or the hands. Fungus is thought to travel from feet to groin, or from one groin to another, by sharing towels or clothes. If you have athlete's foot, use a separate towel for your feet and for the rest of you to avoid spreading around fungus. When the fungus attacks the groin, it is known as Tinea cruris, or Jock Itch. It is more than three times as common in men than in women, and your chances of getting this lovely mold increase if you wear wet or tight-fitting clothes for long periods of time. Crotch-rot, as it is colloquially referred to, manifests itself in little lesions or papules surrounded by scaling, and while the penis and scrotum are typically unaffected, the infection can extend to the buttocks, or any adjacent areas where the skin creases.

Treatment for Jock Itch includes checking the rest of the body for fungi, as studies show that half of all patients with Tinea cruris have Tinea pedis. It is important to treat all infections at once, because of the contagious nature of fungus, and to avoid contact between body parts. Have a separate foot towel and put your socks on before your shorts. As well, it is essential to thoroughly dry the groin area before dressing, as moisture contributes to the likelihood of fungal infection.

There are plenty of other fungi to talk about - yeast infections, nail fungus, thrush, giant carnivorous mushrooms, etc. Yeast infections can occur anywhere on the body that is warm and moist, not just in the vagina. They occur in clammy folds of skin, such as under the breast or in the armpit. Nail fungus is caused by the same things that cause athlete's foot, and they are often found in pair.

Avoid fungus. It's unsightly and not so very healthy and is best when absent. Keep your feet, groin and the rest of your epidermis clean and dry. Switch towels often, wear breathable shoes, don't step on ugly mushrooms. And don't share panties.