Are Fungal Infections Common

are fungal infections common

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There’s a whole lot that needs nothing more than the right environment, right food, and being undisturbed to start growing big time. That applies to fungus too, and fungi will continue to produce spores and colonize areas unless you put a stop that. If that area is you then you have a fungal infection and you’re going to need to take action. Yeast infections are probably the most common type of fungal infection, and that includes candida which can affect men as often as it affects women. Most finger and toenail infections are caused by candida fungus. So are fungal infections common? They certainly are.

The first misconception that should be dismissed is that any lack of good hygiene is behind getting a fungal infection. Ringworm is a fungal infection that’s passed from skin-to-skin contact and can be acquired from fabric or furniture. No actual worms needed. Athlete’s Foot or Jock Itch might be two you could suggest that, but many times it is just because that athlete is going super hard every time and when there’ enclosed areas where’s there’s so much sweat this sort of stuff is going to happen.

Can you get it if you’re not an athlete? Absolutely, it’s just a term because it happens from frequent sports play a lot of the time, but a couch potato can get this type of common fungal infections just as easily as the weekend warriors will. Athletes at any level will have better feet, but that’s a different discussion. If you’re a 300lb man with nimble feet and a big wingspan then you’ll have a job protecting QBS in the NFL and free to get any type of infection you like as long as you suit up every Sunday. Are fungal infections common there? Boom! Tough actin’ Tinactin!

More Serious

Fungal infections can also become much more serious situations and not just ones where a spray treatment for fungal infection will be enough to knock it out. Fungal meningitis and bloodstream infections are the most serious of the two of these although the rarity of them means they don’t line up with are fungal infections common. Those ones aren’t common at all, but thrush is and thrush has the same fungal roots – in the candida fungus. Fungal infections can become more common a person is taking certain antibiotic medications, and this is especially true for genital fungal infections.

We talked about ringworm earlier, and we did point out how there’s not worms involved for this one. It’s caused by a fungus too, and it turns out that if you live in a South American country and you have a cat there’s a particularly nasty fungal infection that you may get and it’s very unique to that global region. There are ones that are very localized in the US too, like how you’re way more likely to get San Joaquin Valley fever in the Southwest or Pacific Northwest. Eastern Seaboard? Probably a better chance of being killed by a pigeon.

So are fungal infections common? They’re not unless they’re one of the ones on this list:

  • Fungal nail infections
  • Vaginal candidiasis
  • Candida mouth, throat, and esophagus infections

Most often a course of treatment with a powerful antifungal medication like Jublia is all that’s needed to knock the infection out as quickly as Mike Tyson knocked out Marvis Frazier. Dad Joe was a world champ, but Frazier Jr. lasted only 30 seconds in the ring with Iron Mike. Okay, maybe an antifungal will need more time than that to eliminate a nail fungus infection, but you get the point. 

Wardrobe Choices

It will have nothing to do with are fungal infections common, but sometimes the types of clothes you wear can make it more likely you’ll get a superficial fungal infection. Synthetic clothing is any type that is not made from natural fiber materials, and the most well known one of all of them will be polyester. But why does the type of fiber increase or decrease your chance of getting a fungal infection? The answer to that is fairly simple, natural materials are more likely to be breathable fabrics, while synthetics are going to be the opposite and trap heat and moisture.

So if you’re prone to getting these types of infections you may want to choose cotton over polyester, and yes that will apply even more so for yeast infections and your choice of undergarments. There may be nothing you can do to prevent yourself from getting a fungal infection a second or even a third time, and that is very true of athlete’s foot if those feet of yours are in cleats, shoes, or skates really regularly. But are fungal infections common, no they’re not.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.


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