Explore 5 common types of fungal infections with pictures. Learn symptoms, causes, and treatments. Find out when you might need to see a doctor.

Understanding the Context

Fungal infections, or mycosis, are diseases caused by a fungus (yeast or mold). Fungal infections are most common on your skin or nails, but fungi (plural of fungus) can also cause infections in your mouth, throat, lungs, urinary tract and many other parts of your body. Find a list of fungal diseases and navigate to their sites for more information. A fungal infection occurs when fungal microbes multiply and become too much for the immune system.

Key Insights

Read about common types, their risk factors, and prevention. The major fungal groupings have initially been delineated based on the morphology of their sexual structures and spores; for example, the spore-containing structures, asci and basidia, can be used in the identification of ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, respectively. Fungal infections, or mycoses, are caused by fungi. Many are mild and easy to treat, but others are very serious. Read about the types and treatments.

Final Thoughts

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that exist as yeast, molds, or both forms (dimorphic fungi). Yeasts consist of solitary cells that reproduce by budding. Molds occur in filaments, also known as hyphae, which extend by apical elongation. Fungal infections of the skin are very common. Learn about symptoms, causes, and treatments for common fungal infections, including athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm, and yeast infections.