Can an accompanying skin fungus be contagious? | Is neurodermatitis contagious?

Can an accompanying skin fungus be contagious?

An existing neurodermatitis favors a secondary infection of the skin with fungi, in most cases yeast fungi (mostly Candida albicans). Yeast fungi are also found on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people and have no disease value there. In neurodermatitis patients, however, the skin is pre-damaged and the fungal spores can easily penetrate into the deeper skin layers and cause infections.

As a result, the symptoms of neurodermatitis become considerably worse. In principle, an accompanying skin fungus can also be contagious in neurodermatitis, but the risk for healthy people is relatively low. Persons with a weakened immune system, for example diabetics with poorly adjusted blood sugar levels or immunocompromised persons after an organ transplant, have an increased risk of infection. Infection occurs through skin contact or through contaminated objects (e.g. towels). Fungi reproduce particularly well in warm and humid places, so the risk of infection is higher in bathrooms or swimming pools.

Can an accompanying skin infection be contagious?

Bacterial superinfections are not uncommon in neurodermatitis, as the pathogens can easily penetrate the damaged, dry skin. In most cases, the germs are components of the natural skin flora. The infection worsens the inflammatory skin changes and the neurodermatitis flare-up lasts much longer.

With healthy humans the natural defense function of the skin functions sufficiently and an infection with contact to Neurodermitis patients with accompanying skin infection is improbable. More problematic is an accompanying infection with herpes viruses, which can lead to Eczema herpeticatum in neurodermatitis patients. Herpes viruses are highly infectious, and an infection shows up in people without skin disease as lip or genital herpes.

Is neurodermatitis hereditary?

The predisposition to suffer from neurodermatitis in later life is hereditary and is passed on from parent to child. If the father or mother is affected by neurodermatitis, the probability that the child is also a neurodermatitis sufferer increases. If both parents are affected by neurodermatitis, the risk of the child being affected is already increased by 70%.

Neurodermatitis is not only inherited via a diseased gene, but numerous genetic factors play a role in the development of the disease. Scientists also refer to this circumstance as multifactorial inheritance: several different genes are mutated. However, only the predisposition for neurodermatitis is passed on through the genes. Not in all cases does it have to actually develop, because in the end it is probably the environmental factors that decide whether genetically predisposed people finally fall ill.