This book describes Different Fungal Infections, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases Many people have asked me what Fungal infections are. Fungal Infections may be present on the vulva, vagina, penis, groins, nails and the skin. In some cases they may infect the external canal of the ear and the eyes. Fungal infections happen in humid countries and where is a lot of body sweat. Rarely fungal infection can affect the lungs and brain often causing deaths. Fungal infections are produced by a plant type of micro-organism which attacks the dead layers of the skin such as the dead scaly cells of the skin, finger nails, toe nails, webs of feet and fingers and the follicles of hair in the head or armpit. Some fungi can attack the inside of the mouth and vagina (oral and vaginal thrush), gut, external canal of ears, eyes, brain (Cryptococcus gattii) and lungs (actinomycosis). Fungal infections can involve anyone, and they can happen on several parts of the body such as athlete’s foot, oral thrush, and vaginal yeast infection. A fungus is a plant type of micro-organism. They can vary from tiny, barely visible specks that float around in the air, all the way up to large growths like mushrooms. Fungi (the plural of fungus) are present everywhere and do not normally cause any disorders. Occasionally they can settle down and grow in places such as places on the bodies like the skin, nails, between the toes and, in women, the vaginal area. This can happen even in people who are healthy and is normally easy to treat with creams or pills. Sometimes if someone's immune system is weak when they are battling cancer or on chemotherapy, fungi can grow in the lungs. This then requires specialist treatment with strong antifungal medicines either by medicines or by infusions into a vein. A fungal infection is also termed mycosis. While most fungi are harmless to humans, some of them are able of producing diseases under specific situations. Fungi replicate by releasing spores that can be taken up by direct contact or even inhaled. This is why fungal infections tend most likely to involve the skin, nails, or lungs. Fungi can also infiltrate the skin, affect the organs, and produce a body-wide systemic infection. Fungi are micro-organisms featured by a substance in their cell walls termed chitin. Other types of fungi, like aspergillus, can be very dangerous and cause life-threatening diseases. Different types of fungi can produce fungal infections. In some cases, fungi that are not normally present on or inside the body can colonize it and produce an infection. In other cases, fungi that are normally evident on or inside the body can reproduce out of control and produce an infection. Fungal infections may be contagious and spread from one person to another. Most frequent fungal diseases Fungal nail infections Vaginal candidiasis Ringworm Candida infections of the mouth, throat, and esophagus (thrush) Fungal diseases that involve people who live in or travel to certain areas Blastomycosis Cryptococcus gattii infection Paracoccidioidomycosis Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) Histoplasmosis Fungal diseases that involve people with weakened immune systems Aspergillosis Candida auris infection Invasive candidiasis Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) Cryptococcus neoformans infection Mucormycosis Talaromycosis Other diseases and health problems caused by fungi Fungal eye infections Sporotrichosis Mycetoma Most fungal infections can be treated with antifungal oral medicines and creams. Some may need injections. TABLE OF CONTENT Introduction Chapter 1 Different Fungal Infections Chapter 2 Candida Skin Infection Chapter 3 Ringworm Chapter 4 Nail Fungal Infection Chapter 5 Tinea versicolor Chapter 6 Athletes Foot Chapter 7 Fungal Pneumonia Chapter 8 Vaginal Candidiasis Epilogue