Thrush in the groin in children. Treatment of thrush in children in the groin area Thrush in newborn girls in the groin

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Thrush is a disease caused by a fungal infection. It can be localized both in the oral cavity of the baby and on the breast of a nursing mother.

What is the cause of thrush?

What is the cause of thrush?
Normally, candida albicans is present in the human body - a fungus that is part of the intestinal microflora and, as a rule, does not cause any concern. But from time to time, under the influence of various adverse factors, the fungus begins to multiply uncontrollably, which can lead to infection.

The warm, moist and sweet environment of the baby's oral cavity creates favorable conditions for the development of thrush during breastfeeding. In the future, a fungal infection can spread to your nipples. This is most likely to happen if your nipples are already sore due to your baby not latch-on properly. Until mother and baby are treated, they will continue to infect each other.

Thrush is becoming an increasingly common disease. Perhaps the reason lies in the frequent use of antibiotics to fight various infections.

Antibiotics inhibit the types of bacteria in our gut that inhibit the growth of candida albicans. Eating a lot of sugary foods, stress and insufficient rest also contribute to the transition of thrush into a chronic form.

Burning sensation in the nipples.

How do I know if I have thrush?
The main symptoms of thrush in nursing mothers are as follows:
cracks in the nipples that do not heal even with the baby's correct grip on the breast.

Bright pink or red shiny nipples, foci of white plaque are possible.

The nipples suddenly become inflamed and start to hurt, despite the fact that before that the feeding was absolutely normal. During feeding, the pain becomes more intense and can last for up to an hour after feeding.

The nipples itch and become sensitive to any touch, even contact with clothing gives discomfort.

Burning sensation in the nipples.

Thrush can also be asymptomatic.
In rare cases, thrush of the nipples spreads to the milk ducts - the channels through which milk flows to the nipples. This can cause severe chest pain. This is called ductal thrush. Unlike regular pain, which either subsides from time to time or quickly passes, pain with thrush continues during feeding and usually worsens after it.

How do I know if my baby has thrush?
If your baby has thrush, then a cheesy plaque will appear in his mouth.
You can gently remove plaque with a clean finger and then an inflamed and bleeding area of \u200b\u200bthe mucosa will be found. You will also notice that the baby is restless and withdraws from the breast during feeding, as the inflammation of the oral mucosa causes him pain.

A fungal infection can spread through the gastrointestinal tract and cause candidal diaper rash in the groin. Diaper rash is manifested by painful red spots and requires treatment. You can learn more about thrush in babies from our article.

How to treat thrush?

How to treat thrush?
The first condition for the successful treatment of thrush is not to self-medicate. As soon as you suspect that you and your baby have thrush, immediately make an appointment with a doctor. Even if only you or only the child has symptoms of the disease, you will be treated at the same time. Your doctor will most likely prescribe an antifungal ointment (miconazole or nystatin) to stop the infection from progressing. Miconazole is generally more effective.

At the same time, it is necessary to treat your nipples, the baby's oral cavity and, if necessary, his perineum. Despite the fact that the painful manifestations disappear very quickly, the treatment of thrush usually takes several weeks. If the pain does not go away after a few days, consult a doctor for additional advice.

If you have so-called ductal thrush, then you will need antifungal drugs for internal use. In addition to taking medication, there are other ways to keep thrush under control:
To avoid re-infection, rinse all toys, dolls, and breast pump with boiling water after each use.

Wash your hands as often as possible, especially after you have applied a healing ointment or changed your baby's diaper.

Make sure everyone in the family uses their own towels and change them every day if possible.

Wash your clothes and your baby's clothes at a temperature of at least 60°C.

Use only clean water to wash your nipples, and wipe them dry each time, as moisture promotes the development of thrush.

Before the crisis has passed and the treatment has taken effect, mild pain relievers such as paracetamol can be used to relieve pain.

Add probiotics to your diet, which will support the beneficial bacteria that inhibit the growth of thrush in the intestines. You can take probiotics in both tablets and yoghurt with live cultures, but thrush cannot be treated with these products alone.
Is it possible to continue breastfeeding with thrush?
Yes. Thrush should not interfere with breastfeeding. You can continue breastfeeding during treatment. If you have expressed and stored milk while you were sick, do not use it. It can re-infect your baby.

A disease such as candidiasis can appear not only in adult men and women, but also in children of different ages. When talking about thrush in infants, a disease that affects the oral cavity is usually presented. But it can also spread to the groin, and the treatment will be slightly different than in adults. Thrush in the groin area in children suggests that there are health problems that contributed to this. When symptoms of this disease appear in a child, it is necessary to immediately show it to the doctor.

There are a huge number of factors that favorably affect the reproduction of the fungus. They are divided into internal and external. Internal factors include:

increased gas formation in the intestines;
diabetes;
overweight;
dysbacteriosis;
the presence of infections and inflammatory processes in the body;
lack of vitamins and minerals;
malnutrition;
persistent colds and respiratory diseases;
lowered immune system;
if the mother of the child did not cure the thrush before the birth, it is very likely that the disease was transmitted to the baby during his passage through the birth canal;
in a teenage child, the disease can develop during age-related hormonal changes in the body.

External reasons for the appearance of thrush in the groin of a child can be:

Increased humidity, for example, if parents very rarely change diapers, as a result of which the skin under it begins to rot. In older children, humidity can be high if they wear underwear that is not made from natural fabrics that do not allow air to pass to the groin;
The need for a long course of antibiotic treatment. Such drugs kill the beneficial microflora, creating a favorable background for the reproduction of the Candida fungus;
Improper conduct of intimate hygiene and the use of products with fragrances and dyes for it.

Thrush in the groin in children has such unpleasant symptoms:

Redness and swelling on the skin in the groin area. Not timely assistance to a child during an illness can lead to the appearance of a blistering rash or papules, after opening which opens a moist eroded surface;
The presence of white plaque over the rash;
If a girl has been diagnosed with vulvovaginitis, she may feel itching and burning. There is also a discharge of a curdled consistency. In guys, the discharge is more similar in consistency to sour cream and is released from the opening of the urinary canal.

How to diagnose candidiasis in the groin

Thrush in a child, as in an adult, can become chronic and recur periodically. To prevent this, when the first signs of the disease appear, show the child to a specialist who will suggest the most effective treatment.

During an examination by a pediatrician or dermatologist, thrush can be diagnosed in children in the groin area. Treatment is selected individually, having previously studied the full clinical picture of the disease and taking the necessary tests. One of such necessary analyzes is the sowing of biological material to identify the nutrient medium and the type of bacteria that caused the development of the disease. A blood test is also given, which can determine the presence of antibodies to the fungus. In the most advanced cases, it may be necessary to make a differential diagnosis that can identify a number of serious diseases.

To check if the child has diseases that accompany inguinal candidiasis or have caused it, experts recommend additional tests such as:

Blood for sugar (to rule out the possibility of diabetes);
General urine and blood tests;
Blood for biochemistry;
Blood for the presence of HIV infections.

In addition to the list of necessary tests, depending on the gender of the child, it is also necessary to undergo an examination by a gynecologist or urologist.

Treatment of thrush in the groin area

In no case should a child be treated independently without first consulting a doctor. This can lead to detrimental consequences. After evaluating your child's condition, the specialist may recommend:

Carry out a correction in the diet, excluding foods that can create a favorable background for the reproduction of the Candida fungus and including healthy foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Any muffin with the addition of yeast and sweets (including sugar) is strictly prohibited. Dairy products should also not be abused. If your child is still very young and you are breastfeeding, also try to abstain from sweets during the treatment period;
During the treatment period, it is recommended to abandon diapers if the child still wears them. This is necessary so that the skin in the groin area can breathe. If you do not follow this rule, the fungus will multiply even more actively. If you wear underwear for your baby, then only from natural cotton fabric that allows air to pass through;
Prepare a soda solution by taking a glass of warm water (necessarily boiled) and a teaspoon of soda. Such a solution should be used to treat the inguinal region;
The skin affected by the fungus is usually treated with brilliant green or fucarcin. This will help dry the wounds and contribute to their speedy healing;
If the doctor has given permission, then the surface of the skin is treated with an antifungal cream Clotrimazole;
Tea tree oil helps to defeat the fungus and relieve the inflammatory process from the outside. They can also be used to treat affected areas of the skin;
In children, systemic fungal remedies are used extremely rarely. Do this only in very advanced cases. In the rest, local treatment is recommended using creams or ointments that do not leave any adverse reactions. The specialist will prescribe you drugs that are allowed by age, so as not to harm the health of your child;
The process of complete recovery can last from a week to two, but noticeable improvements, subject to the fulfillment of all doctor's prescriptions, appear already on the third day;
Do not forget that the fungus often appears in the body, the immune system of which is very weak. Therefore, during the complex treatment of candidiasis, experts recommend taking a vitamin complex in order to increase the protective function of the immune system. Immunostimulants are also very often prescribed.

In the event that candidiasis does not go away in a child, be sure to go for a consultation with an immunologist.

Folk remedies during the treatment of a child from inguinal thrush also take place. Their use is allowed both with an easily flowing, and as an additional measure to complex treatment with an already advanced disease.

Baths and compresses from medicinal herbs, such as chamomile, string, calendula, etc., very well relieve inflammation in the groin area, help reduce itching and burning, and also dry out the rash. No less useful is the juice of Kalanchoe, which in its pure form is squeezed onto a bandage and applied to the skin affected by the rash.

Remember that all the nuances of treatment, including the inclusion of alternative methods in it, are discussed with the attending physician. In order not to harm the child, be sure to follow the clear recommendations of specialists.

Preventive measures

To never again encounter inguinal candidiasis in a child, try to carry out the following disease prevention:

All medicines that you give your child should be strictly according to the doctor's prescription (especially antibiotics). If there is a need to take antibiotics, then give probiotics in parallel to avoid possible dysbacteriosis;
Do not start the treatment of infections and inflammations that take place in the body;
To the maximum, protect infants from contact with adults who have thrush;
Make sure that the child eats properly and receives the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals;
From childhood, teach your child to regular and proper intimate hygiene;
Let the skin of your children in intimate places the opportunity to breathe. Periodically remove the diaper for a while and buy underwear only from natural fabrics.

At the first sign of inguinal thrush, take your child to see a doctor. In no case do not self-medicate, so that the disease does not start and does not become chronic.

It will probably be difficult to find a child who has never suffered from such a problem. Most often, the rash is detected in the first years of life and can be caused by various reasons.. The greatest fear is caused by a small red rash that occurs under the armpits, in the groin or in the buttocks.

A child has very delicate skin in the groin, so any irritation in a few days can turn into a favorable zone for a secondary infection.

Many processes that take place in a child's body can develop very quickly. And the rash is one of them. Parents notice the symptoms of a similar problem suddenly.

Causes of a rash in the groin area:

First of all, among the reasons can be identified. Parents detect such a reaction of the body in a child after taking some new unusual food.
In addition, redness and a rash can cause, which is commonly called diaper rash. The skin of the child has been in contact with diapers for a long time, which is why he hardly breathes.
In addition, irritation can occur due to skin contact with feces, which can rapidly multiply pathogens.
In the skin folds located in the groin, prickly heat occurs, which is a redness characteristic of babies when overheated. At the same time, the rash looks like a cluster of red spots that do not cause much inconvenience to the child.
A fungus of the genus Candida, which provokes, is also capable of causing a rash in babies. It sometimes enters the groin through contact with feces. But in addition to rashes, the child may also experience symptoms of thrush, which will appear in the mouth on the mucous membrane.

Diaper dermatitis

This disease can occur quite often due to regular use and diapers. Symptoms are redness in the groin, a rash in the form of abscesses, swollen skin in the groin area, bumps or spots, and restless behavior of the baby. Elevated temperature with dermatitis of this nature is not observed. Most often, children older than 1 year do not suffer from such manifestations, since the use of diapers at this age is coming to naught.

Potnichka

Often rashes in the groin area may be due to. They do not differ much from diaper dermatitis in visual terms. However, the causes may be different. Sometimes the baby has increased sweating, because the glands do not yet work fully. Sweat leads to unpleasant rashes in the diaper area. Symptoms of miliaria are redness of the skin, the appearance of pink spots and water bubbles.

Allergy

An allergic reaction or, represented by a rash in the groin, is often caused by the use of a certain brand of diapers , which may not be suitable for your baby. The composition of diapers includes some allergic components. In addition, such a reaction on the skin manifests itself after the treatment of the inguinal folds with an inappropriate cosmetic product.

The main symptoms of allergies are redness and swelling in the area of contact with the irritant. In advanced cases, fever appears.

Candidiasis

With candidiasis, the child experiences serious discomfort. Parents may observe redness in the diaper area and lesions of the oral mucosa. The causes of candidiasis in a baby are not changed diapers on time. Fecal masses that contain a fungus, falling on the groin, cause redness and a rash. Candidiasis requires urgent treatment.

When hearing about thrush, many people think of itching, burning, curdled discharge from the genital tract, or a child's tongue and cheeks covered with white coating. But these are not all symptoms.

The Candida fungus that causes thrush can affect any organ. A rash on the skin can be both the primary focus of infection in candidiasis, and a signal that somewhere there is a fungus or another disease that worsens the condition of the body.

With the primary defeat of the fungus of the skin. The so-called candidiasis of smooth skin.
With congenital candidiasis.
In men with candidal balanoposthitis.
With systemic candidiasis.
With allergic reactions to the Candida fungus.
Smooth skin candidiasis

With candidiasis of smooth skin, skin folds are primarily affected: axillary, inguinal, intergluteal, interdigital, folds behind the auricles. There are also acne on the face, torso, limbs, palms, soles.

At the same time, small blisters, papules (red formations rising above the skin), pustules are formed on the skin - vesicles with purulent contents. The elements of the rash do not merge. In their place, erosions form over time, which increase in size and merge.

They have clear uneven edges and are bordered by a white collar of desquamated epithelium. The surface of the erosions is shiny, lacquered.

Candidiasis is characterized by the appearance around the main lesion of fresh papules and pustules. At the same time, itching, burning and even pain are disturbing.

Diaper candidiasis occurs in infants. It is manifested by a rash in the anus, intergluteal and inguinal folds. If left untreated, the rash spreads throughout the skin.

It is localized in the area of growth of the beard and mustache, groin, armpits, on the skin of the trunk and extremities. It occurs when the body loses its strength: in people with a weakened immune system, with HIV infection, with oncological diseases, especially leukemia, with diabetes mellitus. Provokes folliculitis long-term therapy of rashes with ointments containing hormones or antibiotics.

congenital candidiasis

Occurs when the fetus becomes infected during pregnancy. The baby is born with a rash or it appears 12 hours after birth. On a red background of inflamed skin, papules, vesicles or pustules quickly appear.

Candida balanoposthitis in men

A rash in men appears on the head of the penis. These are small papules that turn into pustules and vesicles. After their opening, erosions with clear edges and a white coating are formed. Erosions merge.

Systemic candidiasis occurs in debilitated patients with severe immunodeficiency:

in drug addicts;
with HIV infection;
in oncological diseases. Especially in blood diseases;
with prolonged use of drugs that depress the immune system, as well as antibiotics.

With systemic candidiasis, the fungus affects internal organs: the heart, lungs, intestines, pancreas, etc. Penetrates into the bloodstream and leads to sepsis.

Papules up to 1 cm in diameter appear on the skin of the trunk and extremities against a red background. The central part of the papules is pale. Over time, the papules become hemorrhagic. Papules quickly undergo necrosis. The appearance of papules is combined with a rise in temperature, pain in the muscles, eyes, visual impairment. Candida is found in the discharge from the papules.

The very presence of candida, even the asymptomatic carriage of the fungus in the body, can cause an increased sensitivity of the body to its proteins - antigens. Those. there is a sensitization of the body to the antigens of the fungus. This leads to the appearance of an allergic rash outside the primary focus of infection.

For example, with vulvovaginal candidiasis - a fungal infection of the vagina and vulva, a rash occurs on the trunk, face, limbs, feet and hands. These rashes are called candidomycids.

They look like vesicles (vesicles with liquid content) and papules (red formations rising above the skin), spots, peeling.

They arise in response to insufficiently effective treatment of the main focus of infection, the use of glucocorticoid hormones, antibiotics and cytostatics.

With thrush, which appeared on distant parts of the body, acne of an allergic nature is also called levurides or moniliids. Usually their appearance is combined with an increase in temperature up to 37ºС, a general malaise and weakness. In the main focus of infection, inflammation also increases.

Microscopic examination of the Candidomycidae fungi themselves is not found in them, which confirms their allergic nature. But when setting up skin tests with specific antigens, they are sharply positive.

With thrush, acne disappears on its own in the treatment of the main focus of infection. Without treatment or with improper treatment, eczema appears.

Conditions are necessary for the manifestation of candidiasis. The fungus normally exists in the human body, without causing painful manifestations. But as soon as we get sick, candidiasis also makes itself felt. Thrush is the first sign that there is a problem in the body.

It is often combined with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, allergies (hay fever, hay fever), decreased immunity.

All these conditions can be accompanied by the appearance of a rash on the body. Acne and thrush have in common that they are the first signal of a malfunction in the body and the need to see a doctor to take care of your health.

Thrush in a child is a fairly common phenomenon, to get rid of which requires timely treatment and care. In this article, we will talk about how to treat thrush in newborns, and also find out where and why it appears in a baby.

Causes and ways of infection with candidiasis

Most often, thrush in a child occurs in infancy because in a month-old baby, the immune system has not yet strengthened and cannot resist the fungus. One of the most common ways of infection is the transmission of candidiasis from mother to child. This can happen at birth or while breastfeeding, whether the birth was natural or surgical.

Dirty hands, feeding bottles, and even the mother's nipples can become a way of transmitting the fungus.

The largest percentage of children suffering from thrush among infants, but it happens that even babies after a year candidiasis appears. This may be due to the fact that the child is often sick, his immunity is reduced, or the reason may be long-term use of antibiotics and other medications.

Why is thrush dangerous?

Candidiasis most often spreads in the oral cavity in newborns and infants, but it can affect the mucous membranes in other areas, moreover, thrush can go to the skin, in those places where it is most active, that is, under diapers or diapers.

In the event that thrush in newborns is not treated in a timely manner, it can quickly become a chronic disease and entail quite serious consequences, such as, for example, inflammation and allergic reactions. If you start the treatment process, thrush in children can also affect the eyes and internal organs, thus becoming a systemic disease.

Eye candidiasis is extremely rare in children, most often the fungus affects the mucous membrane of the eye in people with AIDS, drug addiction and those who have been treated for too long with a venous catheter. But in advanced cases, when no attention was paid to the treatment of the fungus in an infant, candidiasis can still develop and affect the eyeballs.

Candidiasis of the eye can take place in a different form, there are three diseases that it can cause: chorioretinitis, keratitis and endophthalmitis. These eye diseases are treated, depending on the severity of eye damage, with antibiotics, antifungal drugs, and carbohydrate-free nutrition.

In the most severe cases, when the treatment of candidiasis in infants is completely ignored, the spread of the Candida fungus can lead to blood poisoning.

If in newborn girls the fungus affects the vaginal mucosa, this can lead to the appearance of synechia, that is, to the fusion of the labia. But this disease is most dangerous for those newborns who were born for less than the prescribed nine months, since, often, these babies weigh much less at birth, and their immunity is weakened and is not able to fight the fungus. In a premature baby, candidiasis can cause complications and, in extreme cases, even death.

How does thrush manifest itself

Before looking for an answer to the question of how to cure thrush in an infant, you should first understand what its symptoms look like, and also consult a doctor in order to be sure of what disease you are dealing with.

Thrush or candidal stomatitis in the mouth of a baby looks like a white cheesy plaque covering the tongue, palate and gums. If you remove it, you can see the inflammation of the mucosa. This is candidal stomatitis, which can occur in three forms: mild, moderate and severe.

For a mild form of candidiasis in the mouth, a change in the general condition of the child is not typical, that is, despite symptoms such as plaque and inflammation of the mucosa, the baby will feel quite normal. In this case, the child's appetite does not decrease, the temperature is within the normal range and the disease does not cause any discomfort in the baby. The mild form is very easy to cure if you follow all the doctor's instructions exactly.

If the disease passes in a moderate form, then the child will have a slight increase in temperature, lose his appetite, he will be restless due to the discomfort caused by the course of the disease. In this case, under the white coating, the mucosa becomes inflamed much more strongly, and if it is removed, it begins to bleed.

To cure such a thrush in infants, they are treated with an oral cavity with antifungal drugs, and also given antibiotics. With such complex treatment, you can completely get rid of thrush in a one-month-old baby in two weeks.

If your baby's candidiasis is severe, then be prepared for a sharp rise in temperature, the child's refusal to eat and constant crying. The mouth and throat of the child will be covered with a coating in the form of a dense white film. It is much more difficult and longer to treat such a thrush, everything here will depend on the resistance of the fungus to the medications that the doctor will prescribe to treat the baby.

In very young children, up to and slightly older than one month, thrush can also spread to the skin.

This usually occurs in those places where the child sweats most actively, that is, under a diaper, diaper, or where there are most skin folds, that is, on the neck, in the groin, on the back, arms and legs. When the fungus infects the skin, it leads to candidiasis dermatitis, which thrives in the warm and humid environment that sweat creates.

If the fungus begins to multiply, then you will see red spots on the skin of your baby, the surface of which is shiny. It is because of these spots that the child cries and worries, since these swellings cause pain in the baby.

Such dermatitis can also manifest itself in the form of pimples with a white head, and in this case it is very important to determine exactly what you are dealing with by consulting a doctor, because many childhood ailments, including the most common sweating, give symptoms such as acne with a white head.

In children under the age of one month, thrush appears most often, but at the age of one year, this is an alarming bell that your baby's immunity is out of order. Usually at this age, if thrush appears, then, like in a baby, it is localized in the mouth, but can go beyond it, affecting the skin of the hands if the child likes to suck his fingers.

How to treat thrush?

Before embarking on any treatment, be sure to consult your doctor. Do not self-medicate and do not endanger the health of your child. After the pediatrician makes a diagnosis and identifies the form of the disease, he will be able to prescribe the most correct and safe treatment.

Often in newborns and infants, thrush is mild and it is not at all difficult to treat. To do this, you just need to treat the oral cavity with a soda solution every few hours or immediately after feeding. You can do this with a cotton swab, or you can do it smarter and dip a pacifier in the solution and give it to your child.

At this stage, such preparations for the treatment of mucous membranes as nystatin drops or Candide solution help to defeat thrush.

If the fungus has affected the baby's skin, then antifungal ointments based on nystatin, cortisol and imidazole will help here. You need to smear the skin in problem areas several times a day, preferably every three hours.

In the event that the doctor has determined that the disease is moderate or severe, then you will not be able to limit yourself to treating the affected mucosa. In addition, your baby will need to take antifungal medications and antibiotics to recover. They should be prescribed by a doctor, since which drug to choose for treatment will depend on the age of the child.

If a baby has such candidiasis, then the mother is treated with it to prevent possible subsequent infections, since in such cases the infection most likely occurs through the nipples when receiving milk.

Inguinal epidermophytosis is a chronic disease caused by a fungus and affecting the epidermal layer of the skin, mainly in the groin area. The main morphological element of pathology is a scaly pink spot with pustular rashes located along the periphery. The lesions itch and cause discomfort to patients. Inguinal epidermophytosis is a delicate ailment that leads to sexual dysfunction, decreased libido and sexual arousal.

The disease affects men more often than women. In children and adolescents, pathology develops extremely rarely. The spread of a fungal infection occurs by contact-household through direct contact, through household items, personal hygiene products, and cosmetic accessories. With a decrease in the overall resistance of the organism, a primary focus is formed at the site of the pathogen introduction, which gradually grows along the periphery and spreads to healthy skin. The main place of dislocation of the fungus is the inguinal folds. In more rare cases, the disease can affect the skin of the buttocks, scrotum, perineum, penis, inner thigh, pubic area. In women, the skin under the mammary glands, in the armpit and popliteal fossa often becomes inflamed.

Fungi of the genus Epidermophyton floccosum settle in the epidermis of the skin, destroy and utilize collagen, which leads to a decrease in the elasticity of the skin. Microorganisms have a low degree of pathogenicity, therefore the disease rarely develops in healthy people with full immune protection.

The diagnosis of pathology is made after microscopic detection of fungal mycelium in scrapings from the surface of the spots and obtaining the results of a bacteriological study of the biomaterial from patients.

Inguinal fungus requires a patient and careful approach. Etiotropic treatment consists in the use of antimycotic drugs that allow you to completely cure the disease.

Etiology

Inguinal epidermophytosis - dermatomycosis, the causative agent of which is the fungus Epidermophyton floccosum. This is an anthropophile that grows and develops only on the human body. It is located in the scales of the epidermis and nail plates. Under a microscope, spores of the fungus and a well-branching mycelium are determined in a skin scraping. After isolation of a pure culture, the mycelium becomes yellow, the spores look larger.

Fungi are resistant to environmental factors. They quickly grow and develop at high humidity and temperature.

The infection spreads through household contact through contaminated household items, as well as through touch, handshake. Moisture is necessary for the rapid growth and development of fungi. Excessive sweating in a patient significantly increases the risk of infection.

In medical and preventive and public institutions, neglect of sanitary norms and rules can provoke a whole epidemic of mycosis.

Factors contributing to infection:

hyperhidrosis,
stress,
skin microtrauma,
tight clothes,
Obesity,
Failure to comply with sanitary rules and regulations,
decreased immunity,
Hormonal disbalance,
metabolic disorders.

Symptoms

solitary patch of inguinal epidermophytosis

With inguinal epidermophytosis, pink or reddish-brown spots appear on the skin, having a rounded shape and a diameter of not more than one centimeter. The spots are symmetrical, itchy, flaky and gradually grow. Along the periphery of the spot on hyperemic and edematous skin, multiple vesicles, pustules, suppurations, crusts and small scaly inclusions appear. The foci of inflammation are limited to the edematous roller. The plaques can merge with each other, forming a single erythematous area that spreads to the surrounding tissues. Itching and burning are especially felt when walking, squatting and while swimming.

As the inflammatory process subsides, the central part of the spot becomes clean, pale and slightly sunken. This gives the foci of epidermophytosis a special appearance of rings and is a pathognomonic sign of pathology. The fungus in the groin in men itches and burns, while walking there is severe discomfort. The areas are painful to the touch. Vesicles and pustules may burst, forming erosions and ulcers. With the addition of a secondary bacterial infection, severe complications develop.

Photo: inguinal epidermophytosis in men and women

Additional symptoms of inguinal epidermophytosis include swelling of the inguinal region, hyperemia of nearby skin, the appearance of specific vesicles with cloudy serous fluid. With epidermophytosis, not inflammatory, but allergic rashes, epidermophytides, may appear on the skin. They are arranged symmetrically, do not contain fungi and disappear on their own after undergoing antimycotic treatment.

In the absence of timely and adequate therapy, the disease can last for years. Epidermophytosis is characterized by an acute or subacute course with pronounced signs of inflammation. The disease quickly becomes chronic and acquires an undulating course, in which periods of remission are replaced by exacerbations, forming from time to time new lesions of the skin. Even after a complete cure, the disease can recur.

Constant stress, friction in the affected area and hyperhidrosis complicate the course of the pathology.

Stages of the disease

The initial stage is characterized by increased reproduction of the fungus in the epidermis and the appearance of pink spots on the skin with papules and vesicles.
Clinical signs of the acute stage are weeping spots that grow, itch and give way to rings with scalloped edges.
Chronic stage - the lesions on the skin periodically brighten, and then become inflamed again under the influence of adverse factors.
The advanced stage develops with a complicated course of pathology. If untreated, large blisters appear on the skin, which, if damaged, become infected. The blisters are opened, necrotic tissue is removed and the wound is treated.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis and treatment of the fungus in the groin area are carried out by dermatologists and mycologists. After collecting an anamnesis of the disease and listening to the patient's complaints, they proceed to an external examination of the lesion and laboratory research methods. In some cases, it may be necessary to consult an infectious disease specialist, venereologist, immunologist.

To confirm or refute the alleged diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a microscopic and bacteriological examination of scrapings from lesions for pathogenic fungi. To do this, prepare a smear for microscopy and inoculate the test material on a selective Sabouraud medium. Crops are incubated in a cooling thermostat at 22 degrees for 5 days. Saburo grows creamy or yellow colonies that are round and fluffy. Microscopy reveals septate branching short mycelium and chains of rectangular spores.

Examination under the Wood's lamp will help to exclude other diseases with a similar clinical picture.

Treatment

Treatment of inguinal epidermophytosis is mainly etiotropic. Since the disease is fungal, it is necessary to start taking antimycotic agents. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry produces a large number of effective ointments and creams. Modern antifungal drugs - "Lamisil", "Mikoseptin", "Clotrimazole". You can use "Nystatin", "Cyclopirox", "Ketoconazole", "Oxiconazole", "Econazole". Complex ointments with an antifungal component and glucocorticosteroids are used in especially advanced cases. They have a pronounced antipruritic, fungicidal, drying and antiseptic effect.

Treatment of inguinal fungus is carried out in the acute period, when the patient is tormented by itching and burning. They come to help antihistamines, which eliminate irritation and discomfort in the groin - "Cetrin", "Zirtek", "Zodak", "Diazolin".

After eliminating the symptoms of inflammation, the foci of epidermophytosis are treated with a solution of "Fukortsin", which has a fungicidal and antimicrobial effect. Patients are prescribed lotions with Resorcinol, sulfur-tar, Wilkinson and zinc ointments, Triderm. Silver solution will help to cope with inflammation and serous vesicles. Local preparations are applied to inflamed lesions 2 times a day. If the blisters reach a large size, they are opened with sterile instruments. It is necessary to treat the fungus in the groin for a long time, until the symptoms disappear completely.

During illness, the patient's immunity is greatly reduced. To strengthen it, it is recommended to use mild immunostimulants- "Immunal", "Imunorix", "Likopid". Complications of bacterial origin require antibiotic treatment.

In the presence of extensive lesions, desensitizing therapy, antibiotic therapy, vitamin therapy, autohemotherapy are carried out in a hospital.

If personal hygiene is not observed, drug treatment does not give a positive result. Patients need:

Wash daily, paying special attention to the treatment of skin folds;
Take baths with infusion of medicinal herbs that have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects;
Wear loose underwear made from natural fabrics.

ethnoscience

Currently, there are a large number of traditional medicine recipes intended for home treatment of inguinal epidermophytosis.

Prevention

Preventive measures to avoid the appearance of a fungus in the groin:

Disinfection of patient care items and common areas,
Boiling and ironing linen, socks, shoes,
The use of interchangeable shoes in baths and saunas - slates or rubber slippers,
Fight against sweating
Regular hygiene procedures
Wearing underwear made from natural fabrics in hot weather,
Daily treatment of skin folds with cologne, salicylic alcohol, resorcinol and their powdering,
Examination of contact persons,
stress prevention,
Strengthening immunity.

Without adequate treatment, the spots will not disappear, and the disease will only progress. At the first symptoms of inguinal epidermophytosis, it is necessary to consult a specialist. Pathogenic fungi and epidermophytosis foci on the skin grow rapidly.

The prognosis of the disease is favorable. The acute and chronic stages of epidermophytosis inguinal respond well to therapy. Modern antimycotic agents can prevent recurrence and re-infection.