antifungal

Endocarditis is sometimes called infective endocarditis. It's a rare, but life-threatening inflammation of the lining inside your heart's chambers and valves (the endocardium).

Endocarditis is usually caused by germs that get into your bloodstream and travel to your heart. Once they get inside your heart, the germs can attach to the lining or get trapped in the valves. They start to grow, causing an infection. If not treated quickly, the infection can cause damage to the heart and lead to serious health problems.

Bacterial infections cause most endocarditis. Normally, many bacteria live in your mouth, on your skin, or in other parts of the body. Sometimes the bacteria can get into your bloodstream from injuries such cuts or scrapes. Dental work and certain surgeries can also allow small amounts of bacteria to enter your bloodstream.

In some cases, fungal infections cause endocarditis. The fungi, such as yeast, can live in parts of your body. Fungal infections generally happen in people who have weakened immune systems that can't stop the fungus from growing. This includes people who have HIV.

In general, endocarditis is rare. If you're healthy, your immune system usually destroys the germs in your bloodstream before they can cause harm.

But your chance of developing endocarditis may be higher than most people if you:

• Have certain heart conditions. Damaged or abnormal heart tissue and devices in your heart can trap germs more easily than healthy heart tissue. That means your risk of endocarditis is higher if you have:
  • Heart valve disease.
  • Certain congenital heart defects.
  • A pacemaker or an implantable defibrillator.
  • A heart valve replacement.
• Are older. Age-related changes to the heart valves, such as mitral valve prolapse or calcium deposits in the aortic valve, create places for germs to attach to the heart.
• Inject illegal drugs. Unclean needles may carry bacteria into the bloodstream.
• Have a condition that weakens your immune system.
• Don't take care of your teeth and gums. Poor dental health makes it easier for germs to get into your bloodstream through your gums and mouth.
• Have a long-term central venous line, a tube that stays in a large vein for weeks or months for medical treatment.
• Have already had endocarditis. Endocarditis can damage heart tissue, which increases your risk of getting it again.

Endocarditis symptoms may be severe or very mild. They may start suddenly or slowly. And they can vary from person to person. The possible symptoms of endocarditis include:

• Fever and chills
• New or worsening heart murmur (an unusual sound heard between heartbeats)
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Muscle, joint, and back pain
• Night sweats (heavy sweating during sleep)
• Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air)
• Skin changes, including:
  • Broken blood vessels
  • Painful red or purple bumps
  • Painless flat red spots on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet

When the germs are in your heart, they can clump together with blood cells. These clumps can break off and travel through your bloodstream. They may block blood flow, spread infection, or damage your organs, including your brain, lungs, kidneys, and spleen.

Endocarditis may sometimes lead to sepsis, a medical emergency that happens when your body has an extreme response to the infection.

Endocarditis can also cause serious heart problems including:

• Heart valve damage
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat)

To find out if you have endocarditis, your doctor will:

• Ask about your medical history, including your symptoms, recent illnesses, and other health conditions that affect your chance of developing endocarditis.
• Do a physical exam.
• Likely order tests, such as:
  • Blood tests to check for signs of infection, bacteria, or fungi in your blood.
  • Chest x-rays.
  • Heart tests.

If you have endocarditis, it's important to get treatment quickly. Treatments may include:

• Medicines
  • Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are usually started through an intravenous (IV) line in the hospital.
  • Antifungal medicine to treat fungal infections. Your doctor may suggest taking antifungal medicine for the rest of your life to prevent the infection from coming back.
• Heart surgery may be needed to repair or replace damaged valves and heart tissue. Surgery may also be done to remove infected tissue.
• Dental care, especially cleanings, can help reduce the amount of bacteria that grows in your mouth.

Treatment may last weeks, and you may need tests to make sure it's working. Your doctor will also check you for problems that could develop from endocarditis, such as heart failure or an irregular heartbeat.

If you have a higher chance of developing endocarditis than most people, you can reduce your risk if you:

• Take good care of your teeth and gums every day
• Have dental exams and cleaning at your dentist's office every 6 months
• Make heart-healthy habits part of your daily life to help prevent heart disease
• Call your health care provider right away if you have symptoms that could be endocarditis

People with the highest risk for bacterial endocarditis need antibiotics before dental visits or certain medical or surgical procedures. Ask your provider if you're part of the highest risk group. If so, let all your providers know about your risk.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Valley Fever is a disease caused by a fungus (or mold) called Coccidioides. The fungi live in the soil of dry areas like the southwestern U.S. You get it from inhaling the spores of the fungus. The infection cannot spread from person to person.

Anyone can get Valley Fever. But it's most common among older adults, especially those 60 and older. People who have recently moved to an area where it occurs are at highest risk for infection. Other people at higher risk include:

• Workers in jobs that expose them to soil dust. These include construction workers, agricultural workers, and military forces doing field training.
• African Americans and Asians
• Women in their third trimester of pregnancy
• People with weak immune systems

Valley Fever is often mild, with no symptoms. If you have symptoms, they may include a flu-like illness, with fever, cough, headache, rash, and muscle aches. Most people get better within several weeks or months. A small number of people may develop a chronic lung or widespread infection.

Valley Fever is diagnosed by testing your blood, other body fluids, or tissues. Many people with the acute infection get better without treatment. In some cases, doctors may prescribe antifungal drugs for acute infections. Severe infections require antifungal drugs.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Aspergillosis is a disease caused by a fungus (or mold) called Aspergillus. The fungus is very common in both indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in the spores of the fungus every day without being affected. But some people get the disease. It usually occurs in people with lung diseases or weakened immune systems.

There are different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (also called ABPA). Symptoms of ABPA include wheezing and coughing. ABPA can affect healthy people but it is most common in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis.

Another kind is invasive aspergillosis, which damages tissues in the body. It usually affects the lungs. Sometimes it can also cause infection in other organs and spread throughout the body. It affects people who have immune system problems, such as people who have had a transplant, are taking high doses of steroids, or getting chemotherapy for some cancers.

Your doctor might do a variety of tests to make the diagnosis, including a chest x-ray, CT scan of the lungs, and an examination of tissues for signs of the fungus. Treatment is with antifungal drugs. If you have ABPA, you may also take steroids.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Athlete's foot is a common infection caused by a fungus. It most often affects the space between the toes. Symptoms include itching, burning, and cracked, scaly skin between your toes.

You can get athlete's foot from damp surfaces, such as showers, swimming pools, and locker room floors. To prevent it:

• Keep your feet clean, dry, and cool
• Wear clean socks
• Don't walk barefoot in public areas
• Wear flip-flops in locker room showers
• Keep your toenails clean and clipped short

Treatments include over-the-counter antifungal creams for most cases and prescription medicines for more serious infections. These usually clear up the infection, but it can come back.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

If you have ever had athlete's foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is a primitive organism. Mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples. Fungi live in air, in soil, on plants and in water. Some live in the human body. Only about half of all types of fungi are harmful.

Some fungi reproduce through tiny spores in the air. You can inhale the spores or they can land on you. As a result, fungal infections often start in the lungs or on the skin. You are more likely to get a fungal infection if you have a weakened immune system or take antibiotics.

Fungi can be difficult to kill. For skin and nail infections, you can apply medicine directly to the infected area. Oral antifungal medicines are also available for serious infections.

Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Histoplasma. This fungus is common in the central and eastern United States, especially around the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. It can also be found in parts of Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It lives in the environment, especially in soil that contains large amounts of bat or bird droppings (poop).

You get histoplasmosis by breathing in Histoplasma fungal spores from the air. It usually happens after you have been doing an activity that disturbs the soil, such as farming, construction, and landscaping. Histoplasmosis is not contagious. This means that you cannot get the infection from another person or an animal.

Most people who breathe in the spores never have any symptoms. If you do get symptoms, they usually start between 3 and 17 days after you breathe in the spores. The symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Chills
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Body aches

For most people, the symptoms of histoplasmosis will go away within a few weeks to a month. However, some people can have symptoms that last longer, especially if their infection becomes severe. Certain people are more likely to get a severe infection:

• People who have weakened immune systems, for example from:
  • Having HIV
  • Having had an organ transplant
  • Taking medicines which weaken your immune system, such as chemotherapy and steroids
• Infants
• Adults age 55 and over

Severe histoplasmosis can develop into a long-term lung infection. It can also spread from the lungs to other parts of the body, such as the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). This is known as disseminated histoplasmosis.

To find out if you have histoplasmosis, your health care provider:

• Will ask about your symptoms and your medical and travel history
• Will do a physical exam
• Will likely order a blood, urine, or tissue test to look for signs of the fungus
• May order a chest x-ray or CT scan of the lungs

For some people, the symptoms of histoplasmosis will go away without treatment. But you will need treatment if you have severe histoplasmosis in the lungs, chronic histoplasmosis, or an infection that has spread to other parts of the body. That treatment would be with prescription antifungal medicines. In some cases, you may need to take the medicines for 3 months to 1 year.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. It causes the air sacs of the lungs to fill up with fluid or pus. It can range from mild to severe, depending on the type of germ causing the infection, your age, and your overall health.

Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections can cause pneumonia.

Bacteria are the most common cause. Bacterial pneumonia can occur on its own. It can also develop after you've had certain viral infections such as a cold or the flu. Several different types of bacteria can cause pneumonia, including:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Legionella pneumophila; this pneumonia is often called Legionnaires' disease
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Haemophilus influenzae

Viruses that infect the respiratory tract may cause pneumonia. Viral pneumonia is often mild and goes away on its own within a few weeks. But sometimes it is serious enough that you need to get treatment in a hospital. If you have viral pneumonia, you are at risk of also getting bacterial pneumonia. The different viruses that can cause pneumonia include:

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Some common cold and flu viruses
• SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19

Fungal pneumonia is more common in people who have chronic health problems or weakened immune systems. Some of the types include:

• Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
• Coccidioidomycosis, which causes valley fever
• Histoplasmosis
• Cryptococcus

Anyone can get pneumonia, but certain factors can increase your risk:

• Age; the risk is higher for children who are age 2 and under and adults age 65 and older
• Exposure to certain chemicals, pollutants, or toxic fumes
• Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, and malnourishment
• Being in a hospital, especially if you are in the ICU. Being sedated and/or on a ventilator raises the risk even more.
• Having a lung disease
• Having a weakened immune system
• Have trouble coughing or swallowing, from a stroke or other condition
• Recently being sick with a cold or the flu

The symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe and include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough, usually with phlegm (a slimy substance from deep in your lungs)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain when you breathe or cough
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea

The symptoms can vary for different groups. Newborns and infants may not show any signs of the infection. Others may vomit and have a fever and cough. They might seem sick, with no energy, or be restless.

Older adults and people who have serious illnesses or weak immune systems may have fewer and milder symptoms. They may even have a lower than normal temperature. Older adults who have pneumonia sometimes have sudden changes in mental awareness.

Sometimes pneumonia can cause serious complications such as:

• Bacteremia, which happens when the bacteria move into the bloodstream. It is serious and can lead to septic shock.
• Lung abscesses, which are collections of pus in cavities of the lungs
• Pleural disorders, which are conditions that affect the pleura. The pleura is the tissue that covers the outside of the lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity.
• Kidney failure
• Respiratory failure

Sometimes pneumonia can be hard to diagnose. This is because it can cause some of the same symptoms as a cold or the flu. It may take time for you to realize that you have a more serious condition.

Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

• A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
• A physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope
• Various tests, such as
  • A chest x-ray
  • Blood tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) to see if your immune system is actively fighting an infection
  • A Blood culture to find out whether you have a bacterial infection that has spread to your bloodstream

If you are in the hospital, have serious symptoms, are older, or have other health problems, you may also have more tests, such as:

• Sputum test, which checks for bacteria in a sample of your sputum (spit) or phlegm (slimy substance from deep in your lungs).
• Chest CT scan to see how much of your lungs is affected. It may also show if you have complications such as lung abscesses or pleural effusions.
• Pleural fluid culture, which checks for bacteria in a fluid sample that was taken from the pleural space
• Pulse oximetry or blood oxygen level test, to check how much oxygen is in your blood
• Bronchoscopy, a procedure used to look inside your lungs' airways

Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia, which germ is causing it, and how severe it is:

• Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia and some types of fungal pneumonia. They do not work for viral pneumonia.
• In some cases, your provider may prescribe antiviral medicines for viral pneumonia
• Antifungal medicines treat other types of fungal pneumonia

You may need to be treated in a hospital if your symptoms are severe or if you are at risk for complications. While there, you may get additional treatments. For example, if your blood oxygen level is low, you may receive oxygen therapy.

It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more.

Vaccines can help prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria or the flu virus. Having good hygiene, not smoking, and having a healthy lifestyle may also help prevent pneumonia.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.

Yeast infections affect different parts of the body in different ways:

• Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in your mouth
• Candida esophagitis is thrush that spreads to your esophagus, the tube that takes food from your mouth to your stomach. It can make it hard or painful to swallow.
• Women can get vaginal yeast infections, causing vaginitis
• Yeast infections of the skin cause itching and rashes
• Yeast infections in your bloodstream can be life-threatening

Antifungal medicines get rid of yeast infections in most people. If you have a weak immune system, treatment might be more difficult.

Germs, or microbes, are found everywhere - in the air, soil, and water. There are also germs on your skin and in your body. Many of them are harmless, and some can even be helpful. But some of them can make you sick. Infectious diseases are diseases that are caused by germs.

There are four main types of germs:

• Bacteria are one-celled germs that multiply quickly. They may give off toxins, which are harmful chemicals that can make you sick. Strep throat and urinary tract infections are common bacterial infections.
• Viruses are tiny capsules that contain genetic material. They invade your cells so that they can multiply. This can kill, damage, or change the cells and make you sick. Viral infections include HIV and the common cold.
• Fungi are primitive plant-like organisms such as mushrooms, mold, mildew, and yeasts. Athlete's foot and yeast infections are common fungal infections.
• Parasites are animals or plants that survive by living on or in other living things. Malaria and head lice are infections that are caused by parasites.

There are many different ways that you can get an infectious disease:

• Through direct contact with a person who is sick. This includes kissing, touching, sneezing, coughing, and sexual contact. Pregnant people can also pass some germs along to their babies.
• Through indirect contact, when you touch something that has germs on it. For example, you could get germs if someone who is sick touched a door handle, and then you touch it.
• Through insect or animal bites.
• Through contaminated food, water, soil, or plants.

Infectious diseases can cause many different symptoms. Some are so mild that you may not even notice any symptoms, while others can be life-threatening.

You can take steps to prevent many infectious diseases:

• Get vaccinated
• Wash your hands often
• Pay attention to food safety
• Avoid contact with wild animals
• Practice safe sex (use a condom every time you have anal, vaginal, or oral sex)
• Don't share items such as toothbrushes, combs, and straws