Diseases Caused by Fungi: Types, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Diseases caused by fungi are responsible for the death of more than 1.5 million people, even when these diseases are easily avoidable. These diseases can affect everyone; hence individuals must have a thorough knowledge to prevent serious complications.

Read on to know about diseases caused by fungi, symptoms, effects, treatment and many more!

What Are the Diseases Caused by Fungi?

Fungi are single-celled or multi-celled eukaryotic organisms that are present in the environment. Some fungi (mushroom) are visible to the naked eye, and others are tiny, microscopic (yeast) thus can be found in a multitude of forms.

Following are some of the diseases caused by fungi,

Candidiasis
Blastomycosis
Histoplasmosis
Aspergillosis
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)
Pneumocystis pneumonia

Depending on the fungi and other factors, diseases can be of different types. These are as follows,

Fungal Diseases that Are Most Common

Fungal nail infections
Vaginal candidiasis
Candida infections of the mouth, throat, and esophagus
Ringworm (a communicable disease caused by fungi)

Fungal Diseases that Affect People with Poor Immunity System

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
Candidiasis
Aspergillosis
Talaromycosis
Candida auris infection
Invasive candidiasis
Cryptococcus neoformans infection
Mucormycosis

Fungal Disease Caused Due to Living in Specific Area or While Travelling

Blastomycosis
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)
Histoplasmosis
Cryptococcus gattii infection
Paracoccidioidomycosis

Other Fungal Diseases

Fungal eye infections
Mycetoma
Sporotrichosis

The above section provides the list of diseases caused by fungi. Now, let's learn about the symptoms of these diseases.

What Are the Symptoms of Diseases Caused by Fungi?

The symptoms of different fungal diseases are given in the table below.

Diseases Caused by Fungi	Symptoms of Diseases Caused by Fungi
Fungal Nail Infections	Discoloured (brown, white, yellow), thick, fragile or cracked nail
Vaginal Candidiasis	Itching or soreness in the vaginal area, pain/discomfort when urinating, unusual vaginal discharge, pain during sexual intercourse
Candida Infections of the Mouth, Throat, and Esophagus	White patches on the tongue, the roof of the mouth, throat and inner cheeks, pain when eating or swallowing, cracking and redness at the corners of the mouth, loss of taste, redness or soreness
Ring Worms	Ring-shaped rash, itchy skin, hair loss, red, scaly, cracked skin
Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)	Fever, fatigue, chills, difficulty breathing, chest pain, cough
Invasive Candidiasis	Fever, chills (people suffering from invasive candidiasis are usually sick; hence it is difficult to diagnose specific symptoms)
Aspergillosis	Wheezing, fever (in rare cases), cough, coughing up blood, headache, decreased ability to smell, stuffiness, runny nose, weight loss, fatigue
Talaromycosis	Fever, cough, swollen lymph nodes, troubling breathing, swelling of the liver and spleen, diarrhoea, general discomfort, weight loss, abdominal pain
Candida Auris Infection	Fever, chills, tiredness, pain, redness and swelling, fluid leakage (if there's a site of incision)
Cryptococcus Neoformans Infection	Cough, chest pain, fever, shortness of breath, headache, confusion or changes in behaviour, nausea and vomiting, fever, neck pain, sensitivity to light
Mucormycosis	Nasal congestion, chest pain, shortness of breath, black lesions on the nasal bridge or upper inside of the mouth that quickly become more severe, fever, cough, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, one-sided facial swelling, headache, gastrointestinal bleeding
Blastomycosis	Fever, muscle aches or joint pain, weight loss, chest pain, cough, night sweats, fatigue
Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)	Cough, fever, rash on upper body or legs, fatigue, shortness of breath, headache, night sweats
Histoplasmosis	Fever, chest pain, chills, headache, cough, fatigue, body aches
Cryptococcus Gattii Infection	Cough, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, headache, confusion or changes in behaviour, neck pain
Paracoccidioidomycosis	Swollen lymph nodes, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, lesions in the mouth and throat, weight loss, enlarged liver and spleen
Fungal Eye Infections	Eye pain, excessive tearing, blurred vision, eye redness, sensitivity to light, discharge from the eyes
Mycetoma	It starts with a painless lump under the skin and grows to open infection, and leads to small 'grains' that contains fungal spores
Sporotrichosis	Lump under skin slowly progressing to larger bump (almost like an ulcer), joint pain, cough, shortness of breath, fever, chest pain

What Are the Harmful Effects of Diseases Caused by Fungi?

Effects of fungal diseases can prove to be severe for people with poor immunity systems. It means those who are suffering from HIV/AIDS or who are undergoing chemotherapy and taking steroid medication have higher chances of getting affected by fungal disease.

These diseases can spread to vital organs such as the brain and heart and can result in serious complications. These are as follows,

Endocarditis
Meningitis
Nephritis
Abscess formation
Organ failure

What Are the Risk Factors that Trigger Fungal Diseases?

Certain environmental or health conditions trigger fungal diseases. These are as follows,

Humidity and dampness
Inadequate blood flow
Poor immunity system
Effects of certain medication such as antibiotics, long-term usage of corticosteroids
Chemotherapy/radiation
Individuals who have undergone organ transplantation
Infancy/aging

How to Diagnose Fungal Diseases?

Microscopic examination of clinical samples (scraping of scaling piece of the affected area, i.e. skin/nails)
Serology
Blood test
Histopathology
Molecular diagnostics and antigen detection in clinical samples

What Are the Treatments for Fungal Diseases?

When diagnosed with fungal disease, doctors might prescribe some topical antifungal ointments, antiseptic mouthwash and medication depending on the type of fungal disease.

What Are the Preventive Measures to Control Fungal Diseases?

Individuals can prevent fungal infection by following the tips mentioned below,

Wash hands regularly, especially after touching animals or people suffering from some diseases.
Do not use other people's clothes, towels, comb or other skincare products.
Keep skin clean especially fold areas of your body.
Do not walk barefoot in locker rooms, community shower rooms.

With such a detailed discussion, this piece on diseases caused by fungi comes to an end. Follow preventive measures, read the symptoms mentioned carefully, and consult a doctor immediately in case you experience any of these.

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