Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Tinea pedis is a chronic fungal infection of the feet, very often observed in patients who are immuno-suppressed or have diabetes mellitus. The practicing allergist may be called upon to treat this disease for various reasons. Sometimes tinea infection may be mis...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2004-03-01
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| Series: | Clinical and Molecular Allergy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.clinicalmolecularallergy.com/content/2/1/5 |
| _version_ | 1811277837458472960 |
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| author | Krishnaswamy Guha Saoudian Mahnaz Fitzgerald S Matthew Al Hasan Muhannad |
| author_facet | Krishnaswamy Guha Saoudian Mahnaz Fitzgerald S Matthew Al Hasan Muhannad |
| author_sort | Krishnaswamy Guha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Tinea pedis is a chronic fungal infection of the feet, very often observed in patients who are immuno-suppressed or have diabetes mellitus. The practicing allergist may be called upon to treat this disease for various reasons. Sometimes tinea infection may be mistaken for atopic dermatitis or allergic eczema. In other patients, tinea pedis may complicate allergy and asthma and may contribute to refractory atopic disease. Patients with recurrent cellulitis may be referred to the allergist/immunologist for an immune evaluation and discovered to have tinea pedis as a predisposing factor. From a molecular standpoint, superficial fungal infections may induce a type2 T helper cell response (Th2) that can aggravate atopy. Th2 cytokines may induce eosinophil recruitment and immunoglobulin E (IgE) class switching by B cells, thereby leading to exacerbation of atopic conditions. Three groups of fungal pathogens, referred to as dermatophytes, have been shown to cause tinea pedis: <it>Trychophyton sp</it>, <it>Epidermophyton sp</it>, and <it>Microsporum sp</it>. The disease manifests as a pruritic, erythematous, scaly eruption on the foot and depending on its location, three variants have been described: interdigital type, moccasin type, and vesiculobullous type. Tinea pedis may be associated with recurrent cellulitis, as the fungal pathogens provide a portal for bacterial invasion of subcutaneous tissues. In some cases of refractory asthma, treatment of the associated tinea pedis infection may induce remission in airway disease. Very often, protracted topical and/or oral antifungal agents are required to treat this often frustrating and morbid disease. An evaluation for underlying immuno-suppression or diabetes may be indicated in patients with refractory disease.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:25:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e0c256bcf4ec4499923bd15db41c3d53 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1476-7961 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:25:00Z |
| publishDate | 2004-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Molecular Allergy |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0c256bcf4ec4499923bd15db41c3d532022-12-22T03:10:39ZengBMCClinical and Molecular Allergy1476-79612004-03-0121510.1186/1476-7961-2-5Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complicationsKrishnaswamy GuhaSaoudian MahnazFitzgerald S MatthewAl Hasan Muhannad<p>Abstract</p> <p>Tinea pedis is a chronic fungal infection of the feet, very often observed in patients who are immuno-suppressed or have diabetes mellitus. The practicing allergist may be called upon to treat this disease for various reasons. Sometimes tinea infection may be mistaken for atopic dermatitis or allergic eczema. In other patients, tinea pedis may complicate allergy and asthma and may contribute to refractory atopic disease. Patients with recurrent cellulitis may be referred to the allergist/immunologist for an immune evaluation and discovered to have tinea pedis as a predisposing factor. From a molecular standpoint, superficial fungal infections may induce a type2 T helper cell response (Th2) that can aggravate atopy. Th2 cytokines may induce eosinophil recruitment and immunoglobulin E (IgE) class switching by B cells, thereby leading to exacerbation of atopic conditions. Three groups of fungal pathogens, referred to as dermatophytes, have been shown to cause tinea pedis: <it>Trychophyton sp</it>, <it>Epidermophyton sp</it>, and <it>Microsporum sp</it>. The disease manifests as a pruritic, erythematous, scaly eruption on the foot and depending on its location, three variants have been described: interdigital type, moccasin type, and vesiculobullous type. Tinea pedis may be associated with recurrent cellulitis, as the fungal pathogens provide a portal for bacterial invasion of subcutaneous tissues. In some cases of refractory asthma, treatment of the associated tinea pedis infection may induce remission in airway disease. Very often, protracted topical and/or oral antifungal agents are required to treat this often frustrating and morbid disease. An evaluation for underlying immuno-suppression or diabetes may be indicated in patients with refractory disease.</p>http://www.clinicalmolecularallergy.com/content/2/1/5Tinea Pediscellulitisdermatitisimmunityantifungal agentstrichophyton rubrumTrichophyton mentagrophytesEpidermophyton floccosumAsthmaAllergyType 2 T helper cytokinesIgE |
| spellingShingle | Krishnaswamy Guha Saoudian Mahnaz Fitzgerald S Matthew Al Hasan Muhannad Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications Clinical and Molecular Allergy Tinea Pedis cellulitis dermatitis immunity antifungal agents trichophyton rubrum Trichophyton mentagrophytes Epidermophyton floccosum Asthma Allergy Type 2 T helper cytokines IgE |
| title | Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications |
| title_full | Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications |
| title_fullStr | Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications |
| title_short | Dermatology for the practicing allergist: Tinea pedis and its complications |
| title_sort | dermatology for the practicing allergist tinea pedis and its complications |
| topic | Tinea Pedis cellulitis dermatitis immunity antifungal agents trichophyton rubrum Trichophyton mentagrophytes Epidermophyton floccosum Asthma Allergy Type 2 T helper cytokines IgE |
| url | http://www.clinicalmolecularallergy.com/content/2/1/5 |
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