Pityriasis versicolor in humans: symptoms and treatment

Skin, hair, and sometimes nails are affected. This is the most common fungal disease among children.

Fungal infections are caused by minor skin lesions and immune disorders. The disease is transmitted through direct contact with a sick animal (usually a cat or dog) or person, as well as through household items containing fungal spores.

Children become infected when they come into contact with infected hair or skin flakes from sick people or animals, mostly stray ones. Infection from a person is possible both through direct contact with him and through the use of his things (comb, hat, towel, etc.). The spread of the pathological process over the skin when a single lesion appears can be caused by washing with a washcloth or sponge.

Methods of infection with microsporia

Microsporia is transmitted to humans from other people and from animals. The main carriers of microsporia are cats and dogs. You can become infected through things that have skin flakes infected with fungi. In addition, fungal spores can remain viable in the soil for 1-3 months. The situation is aggravated by the fact that very often in domestic animals the disease proceeds unnoticed, without any special external signs.

In our country, microsporia is caused by two types of fungi:

1. Microsporum canis is a microsporia transmitted from animals, the so-called zoophilic microsporia;
2. Microsporum ferruginium is a disease transmitted from person to person, anthropophilic microsporia.

Microsporia is the most contagious disease of all cutaneous mycoses. This means that a person who encounters a fungus has a high risk of becoming infected with it. Because the disease spreads easily. In external manifestations and by its nature, this disease has much in common with trichophytosis. With microsporia, skin rashes develop faster. They tend to spread across the skin and coalesce. In the foci of rashes, figures of double and triple rings appear, which is excluded with trichophytosis.

An increase in the number of cases of microsporia is observed at the end of summer. And all because in the summer children’s contacts with animals are more frequent than in the cold season. The peak incidence usually occurs in late autumn.

Incubation period:

– with zoophilic microsporia lasts 5-7 days.

– with anthroponotic microsporia lasts 4 - 6 weeks.

What causes psoriasis

• Causes of psoriasis
• Why psoriasis appears Symptoms of psoriasis Diagnosis and treatment: how to relieve exacerbation of psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease. In recent years, an increasing number of the population is suffering from it, which may be due to changes in environmental conditions. Previously, this disease was known as lichen planus. For the first time, the skin disease psoriasis appears in people between 20 and 30 years old. Damage in this disease affects the skin, nails and joints.

There are various assumptions about what causes psoriasis, however, this aspect has not been fully studied. There is a theory according to which there are two types of this pathology, but the main causes of psoriasis are not clear.

The first type is a disease in the origin of which a hereditary factor plays a role in changes in the immune system. More than half of psoriasis patients suffer from this form. The skin is primarily affected.

The second type is not associated with immunity and heredity and appears after 40 years. The lesion mainly affects the joints and nails.

Causes of psoriasis

Predisposing factors and main causes of psoriasis can be:

1. Traumatic skin lesions, including burns, insect bites, tattoos.
2. Psychological causes of psoriasis. This is primarily stress. Nerve-related psoriasis is now not uncommon. In most patients, the initial manifestation of signs of the disease was noted after the death of a close relative. Psoriasis also manifests itself from nerves at work and in personal life.
3. Use of a certain type of medication.
4. Viral (scarlet fever, influenza) and streptococcal infectious diseases.
5. Alcoholism. It is known that psoriasis and alcohol are incompatible, as the body’s immune system weakens. Psoriasis and smoking can also be included here.
6. Allergic and toxic effects on the skin of various chemicals.
7. Fungal diseases and dermatitis, which are the most common cause of psoriasis.
8. In women after childbirth. Psoriasis during pregnancy is closely associated with worries and stress.
9. HIV. Psoriasis and HIV only accelerate the course of the disease.

Why does psoriasis appear?

Different doctors have their own opinion about why psoriasis appears, but there is no single point of view. In general, psoriasis is currently considered a multifactorial disease caused by the complex influence of various causes.

It has been reliably studied that the skin disease psoriasis does not have an infectious nature, and, therefore, is not contagious.

Until recently, scientists talked about the cause of psoriasis due to poor nutrition, but there is no scientific evidence for this theory.

Symptoms of psoriasis

The first symptoms of the disease appear as follows:

• delamination of nails and disruption of their normal structure;
• the appearance of cracks in the skin causing pain;
• pustular rash;
• severe peeling and death of skin cells;
• the appearance of blisters on the feet and palms;
• itchy, red spots on the body, especially around the elbows and knees, and face. They have a convex shape and are covered with whitish scales.

Patients with psoriasis often experience depression and low self-esteem. Damage to the nails, joints, and the appearance of fever indicate that as a result of the lack of timely treatment, the disease has become complicated.

Diagnosis and treatment: how to relieve exacerbation of psoriasis

Microscopy and laboratory tests, in addition to the clinical picture, help diagnose psoriasis as a disease. When the psoriatic plaque is scraped off, the film separates, and droplets of blood appear in the form of dew on the surface of the remaining wound. This is a characteristic feature that distinguishes this disease from other dermatitis.

For mild and moderate cases, local treatment is used in the form of ointments, lotions, and gels. They contain glucocorticoids, tar, zinc oxide, boric acid. Non-hormonal ointments for psoriasis, which do not have side effects, have proven themselves to be better.

In severe cases, a treatment method such as puva therapy for psoriasis, or, as it is also called phototherapy, is used. It lies in the property of ultraviolet radiation to suppress inflammation and reduce the hyperactivity of local immunity.

If the disease is very advanced and other methods do not help, drugs are used both locally and by injection. Most of them have side effects such as immunosuppression and toxic effects on the liver and kidneys. Therefore, such therapy is carried out only in specialized departments and under the supervision of a dermatologist.

Types of microsporia

Microsporia is distinguished as two main types of microsporia:

1. Smooth skin . In this case, the focus of the disease has the form of a ring. The manifestation of the disease begins with a red, slightly hyperemic spot. After a short time in the middle of the affected area, signs of inflammation disappear. The skin peels off, blisters and crusts may appear on it. There are almost no unpleasant sensations. Sometimes the affected skin may be slightly itchy. Typically, microsporia of smooth skin is characterized by a small number of lesions, their size is also small, from 1 to 3 centimeters. They can be located on the skin of the face, neck, forearms, and shoulders.
2. Scalp . Usually affects children under 12-13 years of age. With microsporia of the scalp, the lesions have a diameter of 2 to 5 centimeters, with reddened skin. Sometimes small ones with a diameter of half a centimeter can be located around the main spot. The location is mainly the crown of the head, the temporal regions. The hair begins to break off already on the 6th – 7th day, leaving “stumps” 5-6 mm long. With improper treatment, a suppurative form of microsporia develops, the surface of the skin becomes covered with abscesses, and when pressed on, pus appears on the outside.

As you can see, they differ in external manifestations and the nature of the disease. Accordingly, the method of treatment.

Varieties of the disease

Manifestations of the disease can be different, which is clearly visible in the photo of red lichen. In this regard, the following variants of the disease are possible:

• typical lichen - plaques are formed in the form of polygons, differing in pink and purple color;
• hypertrophic form - plaques or formations in the form of warts are formed;
• atrophic lichen – hyperpigmentation is present, although its presence is not a mandatory requirement;
• bullous appearance, when blisters of subcutaneous origin appear;
• erythematous pathology, accompanied by severe redness of the skin.

Lichen planus often manifests itself in an acute form over a period of up to 30 days. In many cases, it passes into a subacute state (up to six months) or a long-term state (over six months).

Diagnostics

To diagnose microsporia, the following research methods are used:

• Luminescent
• Microscopic
• Cultural

The luminescent method is based on the fact that hair affected by the microsporum fungus exhibits an emerald green glow when exposed to a Wood lamp (a lamp emitting in the “soft” ultraviolet range). Examination under a Wood's lamp makes it possible to assess the extent of fungal damage and subsequently serves to adjust therapy, determining its effectiveness.

During microscopic examination, hair scales are taken from the lesions. And with microsporia of the scalp - hair fragments. Under a microscope, filaments of mycelium, spores on the surface of the hair, and disturbances in its structure are visible.

A cultural study consists of inoculating the fungus in a nutrient medium and serves to accurately determine the pathogen.
Hair scales or fragments are also used as material for sowing. Results usually appear on the third day after sowing.

initial stage

At the early stage of the disease, no obvious foci of infection are visible, but the patient locally experiences a feeling of itching, burning, and internal discomfort. Over time, nodules and weeping bubbles, which are water-based, appear. Under the influence of provoking factors, they burst and unite, causing itching and visible swelling. Over time, symptoms of the appearance of plaques cannot be ruled out, which radically change the structure of the skin, making it dry and prone to peeling. So the clinical picture is not limited to skin itching.

Prevention of microsporia

1. Children with microsporia should not attend schools and kindergartens until they have fully recovered.
2. It is necessary to follow sanitary and hygienic rules, that is, use only individual hats, clothing, have a separate bed, towel, comb, washcloth and other personal items.
3. Children should not be allowed to interact with stray animals. Kittens or puppies adopted into the home should be shown to a veterinarian. Don't let children take pets to bed.
4. In case of contact with a sick animal, you must wash your hands with soap, lubricate scratches and abrasions with 5% iodine, change clothes, boil the removed items or iron them with a hot iron.
5. Wash domestic cats and dogs with soap and water as needed, keep them free of fleas, and be sure to show them to a veterinarian at least once a year.
6. If flaky spots or lesions appear on the skin or head, you should immediately contact a dermatologist.

Treatment of pityriasis versicolor

Recently, quite a lot of medications have been developed to treat pityriasis versicolor, but still some patients experience relapses of this disease. This happens when a patient, during treatment, again infects himself by using previously poorly treated objects that the patient touched.

In some cases, it happened when a patient, already completely healthy, received the same diagnosis and infected himself with a poorly disinfected towel. This happens when preventive measures are not followed during treatment for lichen. There is not enough literature that would describe how to get rid of pityriasis versicolor and how to properly treat household items to prevent re-infection.

Treatment should be comprehensive and only those drugs prescribed by the doctor should be used. Quite often, special creams, shampoos, ointments and solutions are used in the treatment of lichen. Among them we can highlight names that are quite familiar to us, such as boric acid and nizoral.

When large affected areas of skin appear with pityriasis versicolor, daily intake of Griseofulvin or Fulcin tablets is prescribed.

There are also many folk remedies for the treatment of pityriasis versicolor, for example, fragrant rue or onion, simple lotions made from burdock and cranberries. Sour cream is applied to a clean cabbage leaf and used as a compress; juice is squeezed out of onions and rubbed on the skin.

Apply apple cider vinegar to the areas of skin affected by lichen; this procedure is repeated several times a day. Sage leaves are finely chopped and mixed with cream, and the paste is applied to the skin once a day.

But still, in order not to harm your body and not spoil your appearance, you should go to see a doctor.

What is the difference between microsporia and trichophytosis?

Peculiarities	Microsporia	Trichophytosis
Skin condition	Covered with plaque	Smooth
Hair condition	Broken at 2-3 mm	Broken at the base, only black spots visible
Transfer method	From person to person	From a person, an animal, an object affected by spores
Danger	In older children it goes away on its own	Requires special therapy; ignoring symptoms can lead to complications
Therapy methods	Antifungal drugs for local and systemic use (Batrafen, Mikoderil, Exoderil, Mikosan, Lotseril, Lamisil and others)

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Preventive measures

The main method of prevention is to observe the rules of personal hygiene and avoid contact with stray animals.

To maintain immunity during illness, it is worth increasing the amount of consumed fruits and vegetables, fermented milk products, which normalize the intestinal microflora. But it is better to avoid spicy, fatty, salty foods.

Many people wonder whether scalp hair grows in the affected areas after treatment. If the treatment was correct and timely, then, as a rule, the hair grows back. But the answer to the question of whether you can wash yourself if you are sick is unequivocal - under no circumstances! This contributes to the further spread of the disease.

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