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This document summarizes current knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of candidiasis affecting the skin and oral mucosa. Several clinical forms of mucocutaneous candidiasis are distinguished depending on a patient's age and infected site, e.g. Candida intertrigo, erythema mycoticum infantile, erosio interdigitalis blastomycetica, candidal paronychia and onychia, Candida onychomycosis, and oral candidiasis. The diagnosis of candidiasis is confirmed by observation of mycelial forms on microscopic examination. Since Candida yeasts (especially C. albicans) are normal inhabitants of the skin and oral mucosa, it must always be noted that positive culture does not always indicate the presence of candidal infection. The pathogenicity of Candida species is relatively low, and some special conditions are required for tissue invasion by the fungus. Predisposing factors, such as disturbances of the cutaneous and mucosal microenvironment and systemic or local immunosuppression, should be checked in patients with recurrent infection. Therapy for cutaneous candidiasis is dominated by topical antifungal agents. Azole antifungal cream (e.g., bifonazole, ketoconazole, neticonazole hydrochloride, lanoconazole and luliconazole) is most effective. Terbinafine hydrochloride and amorolfine hydrochloride are also useful. Cutaneous candidiasis usually requires a shorter duration of topical treatment (1-2 weeks) than superficial dermatophyte infections. For candidal paronychia and onychomycosis, oral therapy with itraconazole is recommended. The daily dose of itraconazole should be taken for several months, while its pulse therapy for candidiasis is not approved in Japan. Itraconazole oral solution is commonly used for oral candidiasis, and miconazole gel is also effective.

We provide foot and nail care services to outpatients at our dermatology clinic in Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital. Patients with dermatological foot problems such as onychogryphosis, onychomycosis, and ingrown nails are recommended by dermatologists to obtain foot and nail care services performed by a specially trained nurse. These services include a footbath, foot massage, nail clipping, and corn and nail filing. If ingrown nails exist, a small piece of cloth is placed under the nail edge.

Environments may act as reservoirs for pathogenic fungi, a determinant of the establishment of fungal infection, or an exacerbating factor of disease. In recent years, skin disease caused by geophilic fungi has been decreasing, while case reports of zoonoses from various animals are increasing. Outbreaks of anthropophilic T. tonsurans infection pose a problem to medical mycologists. Tinea pedis is the most common exogenous dermatomycosis in Japan. Although T. rubrum is presumed to be the dominant pathogen of this disease, T. mentagrophytes is detected more frequently from various environments, so far, the reason for this discrepancy has not been fully understood. The latest knowledge about the route of dermatophyte foot infection is as follows: (1) Dermatophyte propagules disseminated from patients may contaminate not only bath-mats but also wood floors, Japanese style mattings, concrete floors, slippers, cushions, etc., and from them adhere to healthy skin. (2) The agar stamping method can easily detect dermatophytes from the skin and the environment. (3) Propagules of T. mentagrophytes can survive for more than three months under certain conditions such as in rubber boots. (4) In order to eliminate dermatophytes gathered in socks and footwear, simple procedures (washing, bathing with hot water, or wiping with a towel) are all effective. (5) Prior application of an antifungal agent promptly eradicates dermatophyte propagules adhering to the skin from the environment. The author also mentioned the possibility of asymptomatic dermatophyte colonization, and the high prevalence of dysgeucia in oral carriers of Candida albicans.

Preventive measures against tinea pedis were discussed based on our mycological studies using foot-press method and house dust cultures. 1) Untreated patients with tinea pedis frequently disseminate pathogenic fungi into the environment, but dissemination could be easily controlled by simple application of antifungal agents. 2) A high proportion of dermatophytes disseminated in house dust perished naturally within a month under dry conditions, while under moist conditions they survived several months or more. Therefore, humid areas such as the floor and carpet of a bathroom should be cleaned or washed regularly. 3) Adhesion of dermatophytes onto healthy feet usually happens in public spaces where people enter without shoes. Wearing socks cannot prevent dermatophyte adhesion. Cleaning the feet by wiping with a towel or washing with soap seemed to be an effective prophylactic measure after stepping into such spaces.