Aspergillus fumigatus is a known nail pathogen and is responsible for most cases of invasive, non-invasive and the allergic form of aspergillosis, which due to its small spore (conidia) size of less than 5 μm, which can easily pass through to the lungs of the podiatrist [25].
Toenail fungus doesn't usually spread to inside your body, like the stomach. The fungi require keratin, found in your hair, skin and nails. They survive best on the skin.
In the lungs, the fungi can transform into a quick-growing yeast form and cause a flulike illness, pneumonia or chronic disease. In a small number of cases, the fungi can spread to other parts of the body and cause more serious disease. The symptoms can take time to appear.
If toenail fungus is left untreated, it can spread to the surrounding skin on the foot, causing another condition known as athlete's foot. An athlete's foot is a condition resulting in itchy, red, and cracked skin, which can become very uncomfortable.
A severe case of nail fungus can be painful and may cause permanent damage to your nails. And it may lead to other serious infections that spread beyond your feet if you have a suppressed immune system due to medication, diabetes or other conditions.
If your nail gets brittle and breaks easily, it's a sign the fungal infection is changing the composition of the nail. If it becomes soft and chalky and starts to crumble away, the infection is starting to become severe.
Possible antifungal treatments include: Voriconazole, isavuconazole, posaconazole or itraconazole. Liposomal amphotericin B. Caspofungin or micafungin.
Antifungal medications.
These drugs are the standard treatment for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The most effective treatment is a newer antifungal drug, voriconazole (Vfend). Amphotericin B is another option.
Aspergillosis represents the leading cause of invasive pulmonary lung infection and death among patients who are neutropenic (from either leukemia chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation) with a mortality rate of 50-85%.
Oral antifungal drugs.
These drugs are often the first choice. One option is itraconazole (Sporanox). These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part. You typically take this type of drug daily for 6 to 12 weeks.
People with toenail fungus are at a higher risk of developing other fungal infections—including those that affect the heart. Toenail fungus can sneak up on you—especially if you're immunocompromised or have preexisting health conditions.
Most people with histoplasmosis will have a mild case with fever, cough and fatigue that goes away on its own in a few weeks. People with a weakened immune system may develop a more severe form of the disease and should seek medical attention.
shortness of breath. a cough – you may cough up blood or lumps of mucus. wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing) a high temperature of 38C or above.
Clinicians commonly miss fungal infection diagnosis
The three endemic mycoses have many symptoms, including fever, chills, cough, night sweats and fatigue. They may also cause lung infections that mimic pneumonia. As such, they can easily be mistaken for more common viral and bacterial lung infections.
Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus that lives in soil, particularly where there's a large amount of bird or bat poop. People can get histoplasmosis by breathing in fungal spores, and infection can be mild or life-threatening.
Aspergillus and Cryptococcus Are the Major Fungal Pathogens in the Lung Infection. Aspergillus mold is one of the most common fungal species which can sufficiently sporulate with released airborne conidia.
Lung fungal infection is a common lung infection in the elderly or immunocompromised, chronic disease.
Consuming food rich in Vitamin C
Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid enhances our immune system and protects our body from the outside. Foods that have to be rich in Vitamin C like lemon, orange. They help your immune system fight off the fungal infection too. Remember having a strong immune system is the key.
Nail fungus is not a health risk to most people. But anyone with a compromised immune system, such as a diabetic who contracts nail fungus, is at risk of developing serious complications like foot ulcers.
The fastest way to eliminate the infection is through toenail laser treatment. Laser nail therapy specifically targets the microorganisms under your nail while leaving the keratin intact. In just a few treatments, the infection can be entirely eliminated.
Later Stage Toenail Fungus
In the final stage, the infected nail (or nails) will turn very thick and brittle and may begin to detach from the nail bed. In severe cases, the fungal infection can spread to the surrounding skin and nails.