Athlete’s foot is an infection of the skin, hair and nails caused by dermatophytes. Dermatophytes are aerobic fungi capable of degrading and assimilating hornworm and parasitising human hair and nails. The disease is very common, with around 70% of people contracting it at some point in their lives.

Infection requires exposure to a sufficient amount of infectious material on the skin (e.g. when wearing unauthorised footwear, being barefoot in a public sauna or shower room) and a suitable environment for the fungus to grow. Risk factors include micro-trauma, excessive sweating of the feet, skin maceration, closed shoes, warm and humid climates, circulatory disorders of the feet, diabetes, immunosuppression.

Symptoms of fungal infections include scaling, scaling, unpleasant smell, profuse sweating of the feet, and stinging and pain if there are sores. Fungal athlete’s foot is divided into 3 forms:

• interdigital – usually starts with the following rules 4. and 5. between the toes, the skin is moist, macerated (wrinkled), pale. There are gaps between and under the thorns, and there is little scaling.
• Hyperkeratotic or muscovite type – there is mild redness on the soles and a whitish, fine-veined scaling in the skin veins. Inflammation spreads from the heel up and to the lateral surfaces of the feet, the surface of the foot is free of the disease.
• Woolly or dyshidrotic – after a long period without symptoms, itchy, pustular patches appear suddenly, usually on the soles of the feet or soles of the feet, with a cloudy or purulent content. When the wool breaks, erosions, scaling and redness occur. As a complication, bacterial infection with the development of putrefactive bacteria can occur. If scratched hard, bloody gills may be seen.

When the nail becomes diseased, the nail plate changes colour, becomes mottled and irregular, the nail becomes deformed and begins to crumble.

Diagnosis of the fungal disease is by microscopic and culture examination, which involves collecting material from skin discs, villi, nails, etc., from which the causative agent can be identified.

Treatment for fungal disease is either local or systemic. Topical treatment (gel, ointment, cream) can be used to treat mild to moderate infection. Systemic treatment (tablets, capsules) is necessary for extensive or severe disease. Patients with diabetes, circulatory disorders of the extremities or immune suppression (due to drugs or disease) may also need systemic treatment.