Introduction
Hand fungus (Tinea manuum) is a disease of the skin on the hand, which is caused by fungi (mycoses). The most common pathogen of such an infection are yeast fungi of the genus Candida. Yeast fungi preferentially colonize mucous membranes or warm and humid areas of the body, such as skin folds or the genital area.
In this case one speaks of a thrush (e.g. genital thrush). For the emergence of hand, nail mushroom or foot mushroom are often responsible thread fungi (dermatophytes). The causes for the emergence of a hand fungus are various.
The pathogens are constantly present in our environment. In swimming pools, saunas, in the ground, with animals. Skin fungi are found in almost all people, but do not have to cause an infection immediately.
This happens especially when the immune system is not functioning properly, in case of previous illnesses (e.g. diabetes) or when taking medication that dampens the immune system. Children with an immature immune system or elderly people with a weakened immune system are also affected. Hand fungus can also be caused by athlete’s foot.
Patients with athlete’s foot often suffer from itching, many give in to the need to scratch and the pathogens reach the hands. If you forget to wash your hands, the fungi have the chance to settle on your hand and cause an infection. Hand fungus is transmitted either from person to person or by contact or smear infection. If the fungus is transmitted from person to person, a simple handshake is often enough to get infected. In swimming pools, saunas or public sanitary facilities, but also in nature, it is enough to touch something with fungal spores to cause an infection.
Symptoms
A fungal infection of the hand usually starts slowly. Between the fingers, i.e. where moisture and heat are generated by friction, the fungus appears first. At first only redness and slight itching are noticeable, later the itching intensifies to the point of pain, the skin becomes scaly, sometimes a whitish coating forms.
In addition, some hand fungus forms show small, itchy blisters. These are usually found on the palm of the hand and on the fingertips. In the further course of time, these blisters grow together to form large, scaly skin areas that can take up the whole palm of the hand.
In other cases, so-called rhagades occur. Rhagades are painful tears in the affected skin areas. The main problem with the formation of rhagades is that other pathogens (bacteria) can penetrate through the cracks in the skin, which can cause dangerous concomitant infections (superinfections) that may even require treatment with antibiotics.
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