A young girl developed small knots on her scalp hair caused by a yeast fungus called Candida orthopsilosis. This is extremely rare, as white piedra is typically caused by different fungi. Doctors identified the fungus using DNA testing and treated it successfully with antifungal creams and shampoo. This case shows that doctors should not dismiss Candida growth as contamination when found on hair.
A wild South American grey fox found near Santiago, Chile was treated for a skin infection caused by a fungus called Nannizzia gypsea. This is the first time this particular fungus has been documented in foxes, raising concerns about how increasing contact between domestic animals, wildlife, and humans due to urbanization may spread fungal diseases. The fox was successfully treated with topical antifungal cream, and the fungus was found to be susceptible to all tested antifungal medications.
This study examined how two common antifungal creams (ketoconazole and miconazole) affect the complex community of bacteria and fungi living on the skin of people with athlete’s foot. Both treatments effectively reduced the harmful fungus causing the infection and improved symptoms, with ketoconazole working slightly faster. However, the researchers found that while these treatments reduced the disease-causing fungus, the skin’s normal microbial community did not fully recover to a healthy state, particularly in the spaces between the toes.
Researchers identified a new fungal species called Simplicillium sinense that caused a facial skin infection (tinea faciei) in a 46-year-old man with diabetes. The fungus was resistant to most common antifungal medications but responded well to terbinafine treatment. This is the first reported case of a Simplicillium infection causing facial ringworm, expanding our understanding of rare fungal pathogens.