How to Prevent the Spread of Fungal Infections

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Prevention is much easier than treatment. This is true for our own health, as well as our garden’s health. Just as eating right and getting regular check-ups is vital to preventing health issues, providing a healthy environment for your plants is also essential for preventing plant health issues. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the ways to prevent diseases in your garden. If you do these things consistently and take time to observe your plants regularly, chances are good that you will have very few diseases to contend with.

Follow Good Sanitation Practices

This is important in all parts of your garden, but it is absolutely crucial in your vegetable garden. Good sanitation includes picking up plant debris, trimming away dying or unhealthy stems and branches, and keeping weeds to a minimum. Foliage or stems leftover from diseased plants can result in having to deal with those same diseases or pests next year.

Diseased foliage is often best discarded rather than composted unless you maintain a “hot” compost pile–these piles are much better at killing off diseases than passive or “cold” compost piles are.

Fertilize to Keep Your Plants Healthy

That is, fertilize just enough to keep plants healthy, and no more than that. Over-fertilizing often leads to more problems, because then your plants put out lots of weak, fresh growth that is attractive to pests and diseases. The right amount of organic fertilizer (or regular applications of compost or composted manure) will help your plants stay healthy. Healthy plants are better able to fend off diseases.

Inspect Plants for Diseases Before You Bring Them Home

This is an easy way to keep diseases out of your garden: make sure you’re not bringing them in with new plants! Before you bring plants home from the nursery, check to make sure they’re healthy. If you see signs of fungal diseases or insects, or lots of yellowing or wilting foliage, take a pass.

Allow the Soil to Warm Before Planting

Some fungal diseases get their hooks into our gardens because we plant when the soil is still too cool. Our plants are stressed, which makes them less able to fight off diseases, and before you know it, we’re dealing with sick plants. The easy way to eliminate this problem is to ensure that you’re not planting until the soil has warmed in the spring. A soil thermometer is an inexpensive gadget that can save you a lot of headaches later on. Another way to do this is to look to phenology to know when to plant. For example, tradition says that when the lily-of-the-valley is in bloom, it’s time to plant tomatoes.

Ensure a Healthy Vegetable Garden By Rotating Crops

Crop rotation is probably the number one way to prevent diseases in your vegetable garden. Planting vegetables in the same spots year after year practically guarantees that fungal diseases and other pests that overwinter in the soil will give you headaches all season long. It’s helpful to know the different vegetable families, and how to rotate them in your garden.

Water in the Morning

This is one of those old tried-and-true bits of advice that just makes sense. Many fungal diseases need damp, cool environments to thrive. So if our plants’ foliage is wet overnight, that gives these diseases a chance to really get a good start in our gardens. The easiest way to prevent this is to water as early in the day as possible so that your plants can dry off before nightfall.

Mulch!

Mulches are useful for maintaining soil moisture and keeping weeds down, but they are also very helpful in helping us keep our gardens disease-free. Mulch prevents soil that is infested with soil-borne fungi from splashing up onto the plants’ foliage. If you’ve had issues with a black spot on your roses, try putting a good layer of mulch around your rose bushes in spring and you’ll likely have fewer issues with this annoying disease.

Provide Good Air Circulation

Fungal diseases like powdery mildew and black spot are more likely to be a problem if your plants have poor air circulation. If they are planted too closely together, or against a wall, they don’t get enough airflow. This stagnant environment is perfect for many fungal diseases. Try pruning out excess branches, dividing large plants, or transplanting problem plants to an area with better air circulation.

Watch Out for Insect Pests

Insect pests, with their chewing and burrowing, are annoying enough to deal with. But many of them, such as aphids, is a double-threat because they transmit diseases between plants. Stay vigilant, and try to eliminate insect pests as soon as you see them.

Remove Diseased Stems and Foliage A.S.A.P.

If you notice spotty tomato leaves or foliage with powdery mildew on it, try to remove it as soon as you see it prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the plant. Often, if we remove infected foliage and stems as soon as we see them, it goes a long way toward ensuring that we don’t have a bigger mess to deal with later on.

These tips will help keep your garden free of diseases. Much of this advice comes down to really knowing your garden: take time to get up close and personal with your plants, so you can detect problems right away and take appropriate action. Give your plants a healthy environment in the first place, and they’ll be better able to resist diseases.

Last Updated: September 23, 2020 References Approved

This article was co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD. Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

There are 27 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 85% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.

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If you’ve ever gotten a yeast infection or athlete’s foot, you may not have realized that you actually had a skin fungus. A fungus is a group of organisms that make spores. Fungi, the word for more than one fungus, live most everywhere and usually don’t cause infections or skin growths. But, you may occasionally get fungal growths on your skin, like ringworm, athlete’s foot, jock itch, or vaginal yeast infection. Don’t worry. Fungal infections on the skin are not life-threatening and don’t usually cause significant harm or damage. And, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of getting a skin fungus.

Here are 10 questions you can use to understand fungal infections and know what you need to do to stay healthy.

Fungi are everywhere. Sometimes, they are too small to see with the naked eye. Fungi can live outdoors in soil and on plants; indoors on surfaces and in the air; and on people’s skin and inside the body. There are millions of fungal species, but only a few hundred of them can make people sick.

Mild fungal skin infections can look like a rash and are very common. For example, ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus—not a worm! Fungal infections in the lungs can be more serious and often cause symptoms that are similar to other illnesses, such as the flu or tuberculosis. Fungal meningitis and bloodstream infections are less common than skin and lung infections but can be life-threatening.

Because the symptoms of fungal infections can be similar to those of other illnesses, proper diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. The more you know about fungal infections and your chances of getting one, the better you can protect your health.

Learn more about whether you are at risk of getting a fungal infection by reviewing these 10 questions.

1. Where do you live and travel? Fungi that can cause serious infections are more common in some parts of the United States and world. For example, the fungus that causes Valley fever (also called coccidioidomycosis) is found mainly in the southwestern United States. Histoplasmosis and blastomycosis occur most often in the eastern United States. These infections usually cause a lung infection that is often mistaken for flu or a bacterial pneumonia.
2. What types of activities are you doing? Harmful fungi can be found in air, dust, and soil. Histoplasma grows especially well in soil that contains bird or bat droppings. During activities like digging, gardening, cleaning chicken coops, and visiting caves, you could inhale fungi that may cause infection.
3. Do you have a dog or cat? People can get ringworm from their pets. Dogs and cats with ringworm sometimes have circular, hairless patches on their skin or other types of rashes. Adult animals do not always show signs of ringworm infection.
4. Have you recently taken antibiotics? Antibiotics can make women more likely to get vulvovaginal candidiasis, also known as a vaginal yeast infection. Women who are pregnant or those who have weakened immune systems also are more likely to get this condition. Men also can get genital candidiasis.
5. Are you taking any medicine that affects your immune system?Medicine used to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus may weaken your immune system and increase the chance of getting a fungal infection.
6. Are you living with HIV/AIDS? People living with HIV/AIDS (particularly those with CD4 counts less than 200) may be more likely to get fungal infections. Two well-known fungal infections associated with HIV/AIDS in the United States are oral candidiasis (thrush) and Pneumocystis pneumonia. Worldwide, cryptococcal meningitis is a major cause of illness in people living with HIV/AIDS.
7. Are you going to be hospitalized? In the United States, one of the most common bloodstream infections in hospitalized patients is caused by a fungus called Candida. Candida normally lives in the gastrointestinal tract and on skin without causing any problems, but it can enter the bloodstream during a hospital stay and cause infection.
8. Have you recently had a transplant? People who have recently had an organ transplant or a stem cell transplant have a greater chance of developing a fungal infection since their immune systems are weakened. Doctors prescribe antifungal medicine for some transplant patients to prevent fungal infections from developing.
9. Are you receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments? Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation, weakens your immune system and thus may increase the chance you will get a fungal infection.
10. Do you have symptoms of pneumonia that are not getting better with antibiotics? Fungal infections, especially lung infections like Valley fever, histoplasmosis, and aspergillosis, can have similar symptoms as bacterial infections. However, antibiotics don’t work for fungal infections. Early testing for fungal infections reduces unnecessary antibiotics use and allows people to start treatment with antifungal medicine, if necessary.

Join CDC in sharing information to increase awareness in your community about fungal diseases during Fungal Disease Awareness Week, September 21-25, 2020.

This map shows CDC’s current estimates of where the fungi that cause blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), and histoplasmosis live in the environment in the United States. These fungi are not distributed evenly in the shaded areas, might not be present everywhere in the shaded areas, and can also be outside the shaded areas.

Estimated areas with blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), and histoplasmosis

This map shows CDC’s current estimates of where the fungi that cause blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever), and histoplasmosis live in the environment in the United States. These fungi are not distributed evenly in the shaded areas, might not be present everywhere in the shaded areas, and can also be outside the shaded areas.

Anyone can get a fungal infection, even people who are otherwise healthy. People breathe in or come in contact with fungal spores every day without getting sick. However, in people with weak immune systems, these fungi are more likely to cause an infection. You can learn more about the signs, symptoms, and treatment of fungal infections and get prevention tips by visiting CDC’s fungal diseases website and by talking with your healthcare provider.

Are Fungal Infections Serious?

Fungal skin infections can be itchy and annoying, but they’re rarely serious. Common infections such as athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm are caused by fungus and are easy to get and to pass around. In healthy people, they usually don’t spread beyond the skin’s surface, so they’re easy to treat. If you spend a lot of time at the gym, take steps to protect yourself against fungal infections.

Ringworm

Ringworm isn’t caused by worms. This raised, red, circular, itchy fungal infection can occur on the body or scalp. You’re at greater risk if you come in contact with a pet or person with ringworm or with contaminated items. Prevent it by keeping your body clean and dry. It’s easily spread, so don’t share towels, combs, or other personal items.

Athlete’s Foot

Itchy, burning, cracked, and peeling feet? Athlete’s foot is a form of ringworm that usually develops between the toes. It can spread via wet locker room floors and contaminated towels and shoes. Prevent it by wearing shower shoes at the gym, washing your feet daily, drying them well, and wearing clean socks.

Jock Itch

A raised, itchy, red rash around your groin means you probably have jock itch, which can affect men and women. It’s another type of ringworm, and it can be caused by sweating and the humid environment often created by athletic gear. You can prevent it by keeping your groin clean and dry, changing into dry, clean clothes and underwear every day, and avoiding tight clothing.

Nail Fungus

Brittle, discolored, thick nails may mean you have nail fungus. It can affect fingernails or toenails. Prevent nail fungus by keeping hands and feet clean and dry, wearing dry socks and changing them often, wearing shoes in a public shower, pool, or locker room, and not scratching infected skin, such as athlete’s foot. Wear wide-toed shoes (so toes aren’t crammed together), and don’t share nail clippers.

Caring for Gym Clothes

Change out of your gym clothes right after a workout. Sweaty gear provides a perfect home for fungi and other germs to thrive and grow. Wash exercise clothes after each use. Wear clean clothes before each workout.

Fungal Infections: Hygiene at Home

To prevent fungal infections from taking a foothold at home, your best defense is to keep skin clean and dry. Change underwear and socks daily. Let your sneakers air out and wash them regularly. Take your shoes off at home to expose your feet to the air.

Gym and Locker Room Hygiene

To fight fungal infections at the gym, wear shower shoes in the locker room and avoid sitting on wet benches. Don’t share workout mats or towels. Wash your hands before and after a workout, and don’t forget to wipe down gym equipment before and after using it.

Treating Fungal Infections

Despite your best efforts at prevention, you think you have a fungal infection. Now what? First, talk to your doctor. Other skin problems can look a lot like fungal infections, but require different treatment. For mild infections, topical medication may be all you need. Stubborn infections could require oral prescription drugs.

Can Fungal Infections Make You Sick?

Fungal skin and nail infections may look bad, but they rarely lead to more than itching and irritation. Still, if you’re worried about your jock itch, athlete’s foot, or any rash, talk to your health care provider.

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American Academy of Family Physicians: “Tinea Infections: Athlete’s Foot, Jock Itch and Ringworm,” “Fungal Infections of Fingernails and Toenails.”

CDC: “Lurking in the Locker Room.”

KidsHealth: “Fungal Infections,” “Jock Itch.”

National Institutes of Health: “Athlete’s Foot.”

PubMed Health: “Ringworm.”

Simmons College: “Gym Hygiene: How to Reduce the Risk of Infections in the Gym.”

University of California, Davis: “Nail Fungal Infections.”

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas: “Health Watch – Toxic Gym Clothes.”

Reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD on August 20, 2020

This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information.

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Fungal infections are too common to people of all ages have chances to get them. There’re lots of causes of a fungal infection. Poor personal hygiene, weakened immune system can be seen the common factors of an infection. While most of them can be treated easily, others are quite difficult to cure. Moreover, they especially get worse if you leave untreated. So, the best way to beat fungal infections is what you do to prevent them. If you’re experiencing an infection, try to prevent it from spreading. In case you have no idea how to protect yourself and others from it, following simple tips may help you.

1. Wash your hands frequently

One of the simplest ways to stop the spread of a fungal infection is to keep your hands clean. Whenever you touch your own fungal infection or infected surfaces, remember to wash your hands as soon as possible. After wetting your hands, apply soap and rub them together at least 20 seconds. Alternatively, you may use hand sanitizer in case of having no soap and water.

One more thing is to keep your skin moisture. Though washing your hands helps reduce fungal infections, it also makes your skin dry. You may not know that dry skin lead to cracks in the skin allowing bacteria to penetrate the cut. So, after washing hands, you should apply a moisturizing lotion that prevents peeling skin. But, try to avoid lotions containing perfumes and fragrances.

Washing hands is one of the simplest ways to stop the spread of a fungal infection

2. Avoid going public places

Once you get fungal infections, you should stay away from places. As the fungus is spread through skin contact, touching infected area will spread the infection to another person. For example, you go swimming or go to the gym while having a fungal infection, you’re more prone to transmit the fungus to public pool or objects in the gym. Other people may touch them and be infected with an infection. Thus, don’t go to any public pools, gyms or public bathing places until your fungal infection is treated.

3. Use your own personal items

Another way to prevent fungus from spreading is to use your own personal items. Whether you have an infection or not, don’t share personal items with others. It’s thought that sharing personal items means you show your love. In fact, this is more risky than showing love. You can catch lots of infections, such as genital herpes, vaginal infections or ringworms. Not only getting them, you also increase the danger of spreading infections to others. Thus, you shouldn’t share any person items like towels, socks, shoes, clothing or anything you wear on your body.

4. Cover up infected area when going out

When you currently have a fungal infection like athlete’s foot or toe nail fungal infection, it’s needed to cover up before going out. This may prevent the infection from spreading to other people. However, you shouldn’t cover it too tight and too long. Keeping infected area cool and dry still the priority.

To prevent the infection from spreading to other people, you should cover it up before going out

5. Apply antifungal creams

A fungal infection can’t be spread if you treat it right time. Most of infections are treated easily with antifungal creams, including Fugacil , Clotrimazole, Fluconazole and Terbinafine. These kill fungus and prevent further recurrences well. Fugacil is considered one of the best antifungal creams as its ingredients are approved by FDA. The cream is used to kills fungus on the surfaces and in lower skin layers fast. Also, it inhibits recurrences effectively. Overall, it’s needed to apply antifungal creams whenever infections begin to occur. Once they’re cured, they can’t spread to others.

6. Boost the immune system

Weakened immune system is one of the causes of fungal infection. If you want to stop spreading, you also need to boost your immune system. As you know, the immune system includes cells, tissues and organs which work together to protect your body. Thus, supplying enough nutrients is a great way to boost the immune function. In case you don’t get enough minerals and vitamins through diet, you can take multivitamin instead. Besides, try to take rest as resting gives your body a chance to recharge and revamp.

7. Tell your supervisor if you’ve a fungal infection

Having some jobs requires physical contact with people. It means you increase the risk of spreading the fungus to others. To prevent this, you should tell your supervisor if your job requires directly contact with others. If you’re a nurse or a preschool teacher, you should be careful to inhibit the spread.

You should tell your supervisor if your job requires directly contact with others

Fungal infections can be healed at home with home remedies or OTC creams. However, if treatments don’t help, you should meet your doctor. Here’re some cases of fungal infections you should knock your doctor door.

• Athlete’s foot. The infection is normally cleared up within several weeks of using antifungal creams, ointment and powder. But if it’s not healed, meet your doctor. When you have diabetes or it starts to spread, visit a doctor immediately.
• Ringworm. If you don’t see changes after 2 weeks of ringworm treatment, it’s better to meet a physician. Fever, discharge of pus and rash gets bigger may be some signs of a severe infection.
• Jock itch. You need to visit your doctor if jock itch can’t be healed within 2 weeks. The infection can be worse if you ignore it.
• Vaginal infection. In case the infection doesn’t changes after two- month period of treatment, you may suffer a chronic disease or low immune system. It’s necessary to see a doctor.

Meet your doctor if fungal infections don’t heal

Fungal infections may be treated easily if you cure them in the early stage. However, they can spread to other parts of the body or to other people if you ignore. Thus, it’s important to pay attention to your body and identify what causes your infections. Then, find out treatment to cure them as soon as possible.

More Articles

1. Bumps in a Circle on the Skin
2. Causes of Ringworm in the Genital Area
3. Ringworm Life Cycle
4. How to Get Rid of Ringworm in Seven Days
5. Itchy Skin Between the Toes

Ringworm is a fungal organism easily transmitted from one infected host to another. You can prevent the spread of ringworm to other areas of the body and prevent the fungus from affecting another host.

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

How to Prevent the Spread of Ringworm

Avoid contact with others who have ringworm, including contact with unaffected areas of the skin. Ringworm infects an area on the skin by entering cuts, wounds and other skin abrasions. The germs from ringworm may lie on other areas of the skin that are unaffected, waiting for the opportunity to enter a host again. Touching another person or animal affected with ringworm may transfer the germs onto your skin, where the fungus patiently waits for the opportunity to enter a wound or abrasion on your skin.

Bumps in a Circle on the Skin

Wash your hands after using the restroom. Scrub your hands for at least 10 seconds before rinsing the soap off, and dry your hands thoroughly before leaving the restroom.

Dry your body thoroughly after bathing. Wet feet especially implant moisture on carpets where fungus grows.

Causes of Ringworm in the Genital Area

Apply antifungal powder to your feet after bathing and after a workout. Antifungal foot powder dries up moisture on your feet where perspiration occurs during a workout. If you have reoccurring episodes of ringworm, apply powder after bathing as part of your daily hygiene habits and have the family or other household members use antifungal powder to prevent the spread of ringworm in the home.

Clean your house regularly, especially bathrooms, carpets and floors with an antiseptic household cleaner. Include floorboards and corners where cobwebs and dust collect. Look for cleaners that disinfect staph and influenza germs for use in the bathroom, as ringworm is a combination of many organisms that mutate from congregating with other germs.

Use your own hairbrush, toothbrush, clothes, towels and other personal hygiene items. Ringworm, among other fungi looking for hosts, often manifests on personal hygiene items where your body fluids and moisture collect.

Wear clean clothes and consider using a powder appropriate for use around your groin. Change your clothes daily, especially underwear, socks, hosiery and other undergarments. Jock rash or jock itch is a type of ringworm that occurs around the groin. If your clothes frequently rub on your skin, and you perspire often, a personal hygiene powder may prevent skin abrasions and dry up moisture, averting the chance for ringworm to invade the groin area 1. For added protection, choose cotton fabrics or cotton blends over fabrics that do not breathe well, such as polyester, so moisture can evaporate better. See Resources for powders available for men and women.

Avoid tight-fitting clothes to prevent clothes from rubbing against the skin, including breathable fabrics such as cotton. DuPont manufactures Supplex, a fabric that stretches well like polyester, yet breathes well like cotton. Supplex fabrics are excellent choices for wear anytime, especially when choosing active wear. Supplex fabrics are more expensive than other fabrics, but the benefits may outweigh the costs.

Always keep the area of the skin affected with ringworm covered with a bandage to prevent the ooze and germs from spread to other areas. Change your bandage daily and wash your hands after applying the clean dressing.

Consider using only foot powder to prevent fungus, over anti-fungal foot sprays. Powder helps to prevent the foot from rubbing against your shoes, so blisters do not occur. Blisters pose an opportunity for fungus to invade, once the blister pops open.

Warnings

Do not be afraid or embarrassed to talk about ringworm with your family. Let household members know you have an outbreak.

The scalp can get affected by fungal infections, causing itching and discomfort. Tinea capitis or ringworm infection is one of such common fungal infections affecting the scalp. Such infections cause redness of scalp, consistent itching or patches of hair loss. This infection can also spread among your family members, relatives or friends. Following are some tips to prevent these infections.

Tip 1: Maintain Proper Hygiene

The best tip to prevent fungal infection of your scalp is to maintain its hygiene. You should regularly clean your scalp with a mild shampoo and comb with a soft-bristled but fine teethed comb. Your comb should also be cleaned regularly to keep the microorganisms at bay. Shampoo your hair after having a haircut. Wash your hands after combing your or your children’s hair.

You can use selenium sulfide shampoo if you suspect of fungal scalp infection. When you use such a shampoo, apply it liberally to your scalp and hair and leave it for 10 minutes. Then, rinse well with plain water, as hot water can cause more damage to your hair. This shampooing can be repeated two to three times in a week or whenever necessary to keep the infection under control.

Tip 2: Do Not Scratch the Scalp

You should not scratch and injure your scalp, as injuries and wounds are more prone to such fungal infections. Even while combing, use soft bristled hair brushes in order to avoid damaging your scalp. You can massage your scalp with hot olive or coconut oil for few seconds to reduce itching instead of scratching it with your nails.

Tip 3: Do Not Share Personal Items

You should never share personal care items with friends or with family members, as you can easily get infected or spread an infection to them. So, it is advisable not to borrow or share things like hair brush, towels or head gears.

Tip 4: Disinfect Your Pets

You can get infected through your pets easily. Hence, it is important to disinfect their hair regularly. If required, take them to a veterinarian to get medication, and never touch your infected pets with bare hands.

Tip 5: Perform a Scalp Check

It is wise to prevent fungal infection than to suffer from it. So, you can do a scalp test twice a year to ensure that your scalp is free of any infection. You can treat your scalp with anti-fungal shampoo or soaps once in a while to prevent infections.

Tip 6: Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Apart from these, a poor diet and even dehydration can make your scalp prone to infections. Hence, it is necessary to pay attention to these factors while trying to prevent fungal infections of your scalp. Do not dry your hair with dryers and do not use heat treatments on your hair frequently.

These tips should not be considered as medical advice. You can try these tips to prevent the infection. If it worsens, then you have to immediately approach a dermatologist or hair specialist to have proper medical care.

Infections caught in the hospital

A nosocomial infection is contracted because of an infection or toxin that exists in a certain location, such as a hospital. People now use nosocomial infections interchangeably with the terms health-care associated infections (HAIs) and hospital-acquired infections. For a HAI, the infection must not be present before someone has been under medical care.

One of the most common wards where HAIs occur is the intensive care unit (ICU), where doctors treat serious diseases. About 1 in 10 of the people admitted to a hospital will contract a HAI. They’re also associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs.

As medical care becomes more complex and antibiotic resistance increases, the cases of HAIs will grow. The good news is that HAIs can be prevented in a lot of healthcare situations. Read on to learn more about HAIs and what they may mean for you.

For a HAI, the infection must occur:

• up to 48 hours after hospital admission
• up to 3 days after discharge
• up to 30 days after an operation
• in a healthcare facility when someone was admitted for reasons other than the infection

Symptoms of HAIs will vary by type. The most common types of HAIs are:

• urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• surgical site infections
• gastroenteritis
• meningitis
• pneumonia

The symptoms for these infections may include:

• discharge from a wound
• fever
• cough, shortness of breathing
• burning with urination or difficulty urinating
• headache
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

People who develop new symptoms during their stay may also experience pain and irritation at the infection site. Many will experience visible symptoms.

Bacteria, fungus, and viruses can cause HAIs. Bacteria alone cause about 90 percent of these cases. Many people have compromised immune systems during their hospital stay, so they’re more likely to contract an infection. Some of the common bacteria that are responsible for HAIs are:

Of the HAIs, P. aeruginosa accounts for 11 percent and has a high mortality and morbidity rate.

Bacteria, fungi, and viruses spread mainly through person-to-person contact. This includes unclean hands, and medical instruments such as catheters, respiratory machines, and other hospital tools. HAI cases also increase when there’s excessive and improper use of antibiotics. This can lead to bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics.

Anyone admitted to a healthcare facility is at risk for contracting a HAI. For some bacteria, your risks may also depend on:

• your hospital roommate
• age, especially if you’re more than 70 years old
• how long you’ve been using antibiotics
• whether or not you have a urinary catheter
• prolonged ICU stay
• if you’ve been in a coma
• if you’ve experienced shock
• any trauma you’ve experienced
• your compromised immune system

Your risk also increases if you’re admitted to the ICU. The chance of contracting a HAI in pediatric ICUs is 6.1 to 29.6 percent. A study found that nearly 11 percent of roughly 300 people who underwent operations contracted a HAI. Contaminated areas can increase your risk for HAIs by almost 10 percent.

HAIs are also more common in developing countries. Studies show that five to 10 percent of hospitalizations in Europe and North America result in HAIs. In areas such as Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia, it’s more than 40 percent.

Many doctors can diagnose a HAI by sight and symptoms alone. Inflammation and/or a rash at the site of infection can also be an indication. Infections prior to your stay that become complicated don’t count as HAIs. But you should still tell your doctor if any new symptoms appear during your stay.

You also may be required to talk a blood and urine test as to identify the infection.

Treatments for these infections depend on the infection type. Your doctor will likely recommend antibiotics and bed rest. Also, they’ll remove any foreign devices such as catheters as soon as medically appropriate.

To encourage a natural healing process and prevent dehydration, your doctor will encourage a healthy diet, fluid intake, and rest.

Early detection and treatment are vital for HAIs. Many people are able to make a full recovery with treatment. But people who get HAIs usually spend 2.5 times longer in the hospital.

In some cases, a HAI can seriously increase your risk for life-threatening situations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that around 2 million people contract HAIs. About 100,000 of those cases result in death.

The responsibility of HAI prevention is with the healthcare facility. Hospitals and healthcare staff should follow the recommended guidelines for sterilization and disinfection. Taking steps to prevent HAIs can decrease your risk of contracting them by 70 percent or more. However, due to the nature of healthcare facilities, it’s impossible to eliminate 100 percent of nosocomial infections.

Some general measures for infection control include:

• Screening the ICU to see if people with HIAs need to be isolated.
• Identifying the type of isolation needed, which can help to protect others or reduce chances of further infection.
• Observing hand hygiene, which involves washing hands before and after touching people in the hospital.
• Wearing appropriate gear, including gloves, gowns, and face protection.
• Cleaning surfaces properly, with recommended frequency.
• Making sure rooms are well ventilated.

To reduce the risk of UTIs, your healthcare provider can:

• Follow the aseptic insertion technique to minimize infection.
• Insert catheters only when needed and remove when no longer needed.
• Change catheters or bags only when medically indicated.
• Make sure the urinary catheter is secured above the thigh and hanging below the bladder for unobstructed urine flow.
• Keep a closed drainage system.

Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have during a procedure.

Nosocomial infections, or healthcare associated infections occur when a person develops an infection during their time at a healthcare facility. Infections that appear after your hospital stay must meet certain criteria in order for it to qualify as a HAI.

If new symptoms appear within 48 hours of admission, three days after discharge, or 30 days after an operation, talk to your doctor. New inflammation, discharge, or diarrhea could be a symptom of a HAI. Visit the CDC website to see what your state’s healthcare facilities do to prevent HAIs.

Last medically reviewed on October 24, 2016

Candida auris (also called C. auris) is a fungus that causes serious infections. Patients with C. auris infection, their family members and other close contacts, public health officials, laboratory staff, and healthcare personnel can all help stop it from spreading.

Why is Candida auris a problem?

• It causes serious infections.C. auris can cause bloodstream infections and even death, particularly in hospital and nursing home patients with serious medical problems. More than 1 in 3 patients with invasive C. auris infection (for example, an infection that affects the blood, heart, or brain) die.
• It’s often resistant to medicines. Antifungal medicines commonly used to treat Candida infections often don’t work for Candida auris. Some C. auris infections have been resistant to all three types of antifungal medicines.
• It’s becoming more common. Although C. auris was just discovered in 2009, it has spread quickly and caused infections in more than a dozen countries.
• It’s difficult to identify.C. auris can be misidentified as other types of fungi unless specialized laboratory technology is used. This misidentification might lead to a patient getting the wrong treatment.
• It can spread in hospitals and nursing homes.C. auris has caused outbreaks in healthcare facilities and can spread through contact with affected patients and contaminated surfaces or equipment. Good hand hygiene and cleaning in healthcare facilities is important because C. auris can live on surfaces for several weeks.

How do I know if I have a Candida auris infection?

Most people who get serious Candida infections are already sick from other medical conditions.

C. auris is still rare in the United States. People who get invasive Candida infections are often already sick from other medical conditions, so it can be difficult to know if you have a C. auris infection. The most common symptoms of invasive Candida infection are fever and chills that don’t improve after antibiotic treatment for a suspected bacterial infection. Only a laboratory test can diagnose C. auris infection. Talk to your healthcare provider if you believe you have a fungal or healthcare-associated infection.

Stopping the spread of Candida auris

CDC is working with public health partners, healthcare personnel, and laboratories to stop the spread of C. auris in healthcare settings. Here’s how CDC is asking everyone to help:

• Family members and other close contacts of patients with C. auris
  • Clean your hands with hand sanitizer or soap and water before and after touching a patient with C. auris or equipment in his or her room.
  • Remind healthcare personnel to clean their hands.
• Laboratory staff, healthcare personnel, and public health officials
  • Know when to suspect C. auris and how to properly identify it.
  • Report cases quickly to public health departments.
  • For healthcare personnel, clean hands correctly and use precautions like wearing gowns and gloves to prevent spread.
  • Clean patient rooms thoroughly with a disinfectant that works against C. auris.
  • Investigate C. auris cases quickly and determine additional ways to prevent spread.
  • See Recommendations for Identification, Treatment, and Infection Prevention and control of Candida auris.

Scientists are still learning about Candida auris

CDC and public health partners are working hard to better understand C. auris and answer the following questions so that we can continue to help protect people from this serious infection:

• Why is C. auris resistant to antifungal medicines?
• Why did C. auris start causing infections in recent years?
• Where did C. auris originally come from, and why has it appeared in many regions of the world at the same time?

What is CDC doing?

CDC is collaborating closely with partners to better respond, contain spread, and prevent future infections by:

• Advising healthcare personnel and infection control staff on ways to stop the spread of C. auris and continually updating this guidance as we learn more about the infection.
• Working with state and local health agencies, healthcare facilities, and clinical microbiology laboratories to ensure that laboratories are using proper methods to detect C. auris.
• Testing C. auris strains to monitor for resistance to antifungal medicines.
• Examining the DNA of C. auris strains using whole genome sequencing to better understand how this germ is spreading in the United States and around the world.
• Working with public health partners in the United States and internationally to learn more about how C. auris spreads in healthcare facilities and to eliminate it from those facilities.

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Take proper care of your toenails to prevent fungal infections, or onychomycosis.

Think the occasional yellow nail isn’t anything to worry about? Not so fast. Roughly 50% of all nail discoloration is caused by fungus (also called onychomycosis), which can be pretty tricky to treat—especially if it slipped your mind over the last dozen or so doctor’s appointments. And if you have a compromised immune system or are taking certain medications, it can be harder for you to fight off fungal infections.

The good news? Nail fungus is often easy to prevent. Just follow these simple steps for fungus-free hands and feet. (Heal your whole body with Rodale’s 12-day liver detox for total body health.)

More often than not, infections start as a yellow or white spot at the tip of the nail and work their way under the nail bed—a moist, dark environment that’s a perfect breeding ground for fungus. From there, symptoms of an infected nail can include white, yellow, or brown streaks, thickening of the nails, and even nail crumbling. If you see a change in texture or color, get to a doctor ASAP.

Keep your hands and feet dry.

Mold and fungus thrive in dark, wet places, so always dry the skin between your toes right after you shower. Pantyhose and rubber gloves both create great environments for fungal growth, so be sure to alternate days wearing tights or gloves and let them air out overnight. Sprinkle antibacterial foot powder on your feet and in your shoes, and change your socks right after you exercise to ensure your hands and feet are as clean and dry as possible.

Wash socks with disinfectant.
Add a capful of liquid disinfectant to the final rinse cycle of socks and pantyhose to help destroy fungus, says Teresa G. Conroy, a Philadelphia-based doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM). Or soak your hose in a disinfectant solution for a few minutes before washing.

Soak your digits in a weak acid.
See some spots forming? Soak your nails in a solution of one part vinegar and five parts water. Fungus can’t live in an acidic environment.

Protect your nails from trauma.

Not that you bump into things on purpose, but here’s a reason to be extra careful: Stubbing your toe can cut your toenail bed and give fungus an opening. Ditto for biting or chewing your nails, so keep your nails out of your mouth. And be sure you wear shoes with enough room wiggle your longest toe around. Also, if you scrub your feet with a brush, avoid bristles so rough they damage the toenail beds.

Strengthen your immune system.
A weakened immune system makes you more susceptible to fungal infections. Make sure you’re managing your stress with activities like hiking or meditation, and aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. (Stay healthy with these 5 immune-boosting smoothies.)

Try this preventative foot soak.
A saline solution provides a hostile environment for fungus, decreases excess perspiration, and softens skin so antifungal medicine can penetrate deeper. Soak your feet for 5 to 10 minutes in a mixture of 2 teaspoons of salt per pint of warm water, says podiatric surgeon Suzanne M. Levine, DPM.

Stop all that snipping.

Your cuticle is essentially scar tissue—and the last line of defense against fungus and bacteria entering through the nail bed. So when you snip it away, not only do you leave yourself susceptible to infections, fungus, and seriously painful hangnails, but you also make it come back heavier and heavier each time. So put down the snippers, and soak your digits in some warm water. Rub some Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil ($20, sephora.com) on your cuticles, sit tight until they’re soft, and gently push them back with a cuticle pusher. Bonus tip: Cuticle oil does wonders for dry heels and elbows, too.

Practice safe mani-pedis.

High-traffic salons can be a hotbed for fungus. Before trying a salon, ask them how they prevent the spread of toenail fungus. Hopefully they open up a new set of tools for every customer, and also line their pedicure tubs with a new plastic protector each time. Also, don’t be afraid to inquire about their latest health inspection certificate. Consider bringing your own nail polish: if you see polishes on the shelves that have separated in the bottle, you know those haven’t been opened in a long time and so could be harboring bacteria.

If it’s too late to prevent nail fungus, try these remedies.
There are a couple of new fungus treatments on the market that some claim work better than older drugs. Both of these topical treatments—Kerydin and Jublia—should cure you of your nail nemesis.