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Diseases » Fungal infections » Glossary

Glossary for Fungal infections

Agranulocytosis: Total lack of granulocytes in the blood
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis: An allergic reaction to a particular fungus called Aspergillus.
Alopecia: Various types of hair loss or balding
Aspergillosis: Infection with a fungus called Aspergillus.
Athlete's foot: Fungal skin condition typically of feet or toes.
Aureobasidium pullulans exposure: Aureobasidium pullulans is a species of fungus which is capable of causing a variety of diseases in humans. The fungus is most often found in damp places either inside the home or in the environment. It is often pinkish or blackish. It is a rare cause of disease and is more likely to occur in immunosuppressed patients. It can cause infection in just about any part of the body depending on the nature of the exposure (inhalation, wound, ingestion etc.) and as such the type and severity of symptoms can vary considerably.
Biotinidase deficiency: A metabolic disorder where the body lacks the enzyme biotinidase needed to process the vitamin called biotin (vitamin H) into carboxylase enzymes.
Candidiasis: Fungal infection of moist areas such as mouth or vagina
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Severe chronic fatigue disorder often following infection.
Chronic Illness: Any form of continuing chronic illness.
Cold & Flu:
Cryptococcal Meningitis: Cryptococcal meningitis is an infection of the meninges (the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord), caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.
Cryptococcosis: A fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans which primarily affects the central nervous system and the lungs. People with weakened immune systems such as AIDS sufferers are generally more susceptible to this type of infection.
Defective expression of HLA class 2: An inherited immunodeficiency disorder which reduces the body's ability to fight infection. Lack of treatment can result in infant death from infection.
Fungal nail infections: Fungal conditions of the toenail or fingernail
Fungemia: The presence of fungi in the blood. Most commonly occurs in people with a compromised immune system. Other risk factors include dialysis, burns, diabetes and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and steroids. The severity of symptoms is variable.
Granulocytopenia: Reduced number of granulocytes in the blood. Granulocytes are a type of white blood cell (neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils). White blood cells help protect the body from invading pathogen and hence act as the body's defense to infection.
Hair loss: Loss or thinning of head or body hair
Histoplasmosis: Lung infection from fungus Histoplasma capsulatum
Intertrigo: Skin inflammation from rubbing together of two skin areas
Invasive candidiasis: Severe fungal infection usually in immunocompromised persons
Irons-Bhan syndrome: A very rare syndrome characterized mainly by lymphoedema in the legs, heart defects and a hydrocele (swollen testicles).
Leishmaniasis: A rare infectious disease caused by any of a number of parasitic Leishmania species. Infection can cause any of three different manifestations: cutaneous leishmaniasis, mucosal leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis.
Lung abscess: Pus (abscess) in the lung
MHC class 1 or class 2 deficiency: An inherited immunodeficiency disorder involving a deficiency of class I and II major histocompatibility complexes. Serious infections can result.
Mycetoma: Any of a group of infections caused by actinomycetes (bacterial) or a fungus (eumycetoma). It causes a chronic, pus-producing infection under the skin and sometimes involves bone. The infection most often occurs in the feet. The infection is most common in arid and semi-arid parts of the world. Serious cases can require amputation of the bone.
Myelofibrosis: A rare condition where progressive scarring or fibrosis of the bone marrow impairs it's ability to make blood cells causing symptoms such as anemia and liver and spleen enlargement.
Neutropenia: Reduced number of granulocytes in the blood
Nezelof's syndrome: An immune deficiency disorder where the cells that normally fight infection don't work properly and patients suffer frequent severe infections.
Oral thrush: Candida fungal infection of the mouth.
Paronychia: Skin infection of a nail
Pityriasis Versicolor: Fungal skin infection
Psoriasis: Chronic skin rash condition, usually red or silver and blistery.
Pustules: Small elevated pus containing lesion of the skin
Rash: A reaction to the exposure of the skin to an allergen
Sarcoidosis: Rare autoimmune disease usually affecting the lungs.
Sporotrichosis: A fungal skin infection caused by the fungus Sporothrix schenckii. Usually only the skin is infected but bones, lungs and central nervous system can rarely be affected also. Transmission usually occurs through infection of a skin wound.
Systemic candidiasis: A candida infection that spreads throughout the body. If it invades major organs such as the brain and heart, death may result. It is rare in healthy individuals and tends to occur in immunocompromised individuals. The disorder is difficult to diagnose as it can invade almost any organ of the body and hence the symptoms are hugely variable.
Tinea: A general term for various fungal skin afflictions; often incorrectly called ringworm.
Tuberculosis: Bacterial infection causing nodules forming, most commonly in the lung.
Vaginal candidiasis: Fungal infection of the vagina, sometimes called thrush.
Zygomycosis: An infectious disease caused by fungus from the orders Mucorales and Entomophthorales which are normally found in the soil and in decaying plant matter. The infection differs from mucormycosis which only involves the order Mucorales. Transmission is usually through the inhalation of spores. It is generally harmless to healthy individuals but can cause infection in patients who are immunocompromised or who have a serious chronic illness such as uncontrolled diabetes. Symptoms and severity can vary considerable depending on the part of the body the infection occurs in - gastrointestinal tract, skin, lungs, central nervous system, eye orbit and the paranasal sinuses.