Fungal Infections – Their Characteristics and Combat Methods
Laura Schneider
2026-03-23
7 min. read
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Infectious diseases are usually associated with bacterial and viral infections, however, no less common are fungal infections, caused by pathogenic fungi. How should we deal with parasitic fungi? How to recognize a fungal infection? How can one become infected with fungi?
What are the causes of fungal infections?
As previously stated, fungal infections arise from infection with pathogenic fungi. The vast majority of fungal infections are caused by yeast-like fungi and dermatophytes, which are pathogens leading to skin diseases. Additionally, though less frequently, the issue of fungal infection can be caused by mold; mixed infections can also occur. However, it is important to note that there is a risk of infection by animal fungi (so-called zoophilic fungi). Fungal infections are classified, among other things, based on the type of fungus responsible for the infection. The most common are yeast infections, particularly species of the genus Candida, which cause candidiasis. These fungi are widespread and can cause both exogenous and endogenous infections, as the strain Candida albicans (white yeast) is part of the human gut microbiota. Other types of fungal infections include Blastomyces dermatitidis, which cause blastomycosis (so-called American yeast infection), and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, responsible for paracoccidioidomycosis (so-called Brazilian yeast infection). However, fungal infections are not just yeast infections. In addition to these, there are: – mucormycosis, – sporotrichosis, – coccidioidomycosis, – chromoblastomycosis, – histoplasmosis (so-called Darling's disease), – maduromycosis (so-called Madura mycosis), – aspergillosis (so-called mold infection), – cryptococcosis (so-called European yeast infection, although the fungi that cause it are not yeasts).
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