fungus

FUNGAL INFECTIONS/INFESTATIONS

DEFINITIONS

"FUNGAL INFECTIONS - Fungi appear microscopically as either rounded, budding forms (yeastlike
organisms) or hyphae (molds). Yeastlike colonies appear as smooth colonies, while mold is a fuzzy fungus
that grows as yeast. Yeast includes species of Candida and Cryptococcus. Fungi that grow as mold include
Aspergillus and Rhizopus species, and dermatophytes (ringworm).
Pathogenic fungi in humans are saprophytes that cause infection when airborne spores invade the tissue
of the lungs or paranasal sinus, or when hyphae or spores are inadvertently inoculated into the skin or cornea.
Infection from another person or animals has been reported for ringworm but is extremely rare with other
mycoses. Hospitalized patients with fungal infections therefore do not usually require special isolation.
Ingestion of fungi rarely causes infection.
Candida albicans, a normal inhabitant of the mouth and intestine, rarely reaches deeper tissues, but
infection can occur when mucosal or cutaneous barriers are damaged by disease, surgery, trauma, or
catheterization.¹⁷
Exposure to fungi may impart partial protection against reinfection. People living in areas where mycoses
are endemic are less subject to infection than newcomers into the area. Immunoglobulin deficiencies do not
appear to predispose to any fungus, whereas neutropenia is common among patients who develop
deep-seated candidiasis. Cell-mediated immunity is of paramount importance in most other deep mycoses.¹⁷Candida albicans is the most common cause of mucosal candidiasis, being responsible for about half of all
cases of candidal infections in hospitalized patients. Candidiasis is a general term that describes a number
of clinical syndromes caused by Candida.¹⁸ Candida species, taken together, constitute the 5th leading
cause of nosocomial (ie, hospital or institutionally acquired) blood infections in the United States.¹⁹Candidiasis is often preceded by increased colonization due to broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy.
Oropharyngeal thrush is especially prone to occur in neonates and individuals with diabetes mellitus or HIV
infection. It is common in persons with poorly fitting dentures.¹⁸Vulvovaginal candidiasis is especially
common in the third trimester of pregnancy. Candida can enter the urinary tract through an indwelling
bladder catheter. Cutaneous candidiasis usually involves macerated skin, such as that in the diapered area of infants. Candida can pass from the colonized surface into deep tissue when the integrity of the
mucosa or skin is violated, as for example, by perforation of the gastrointestinal tract through trauma, surgery, peptic ulceration, or by mucosal damage due to cytotoxic drug therapy used for treating cancer. Although Candida is not normally a resident of the skin, secretions from the mouth, rectum, or vagina,
as well as drainage from surgical wounds or tracheostomy sites, can contaminate the hub or skin site of
a catheter in an umbilical or central vein. Intravenous drug abuse or third-degree burns are other conditions that can lead to deep candidiasis.¹⁹Esophageal Candidiasis
One of the most common deep-seated Candida infections, esophageal candidiasis, is often asymptomatic,
although it can cause substernal pain or a sense of obstruction on swallowing.^18,20 The infection is often
associated with significant morbidity but is seldom fatal.²⁰Most lesions occur in the distal third of the
esophagus, appearing on endoscopy as areas of redness and edema, focal white patches, or ulcers.Esophagography (barium swallow) is diagnostically insensitive but may reveal spasm or mucosal
irregularities. Esophageal candidiasis can cause bleeding and impaired gastrointestinal function.
Hematogenous dissemination from the esophagus probably occurs in some neutropenic patients
but is rare in HIV-infected individuals.¹⁹Invasive Fungal Infections in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Invasive fungal infections now constitute one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in
hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients.^21-23Autograft recipients may develop invasive fungal
infections due to neutropenia, but allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients are at
greater risk due to graft-versus-host disease and its treatment, and the delay in immune reconstitution.²⁴Depending on risk factors (Table 4), the incidence of invasive fungal infections in hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation recipients ranges between 14% and 25%.^22,25 C albicans and Aspergillus species account
for the majority of cases.^{24"

BEWARE OF THE FUNGUS "}Ergot (drug) derivatives = Dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine,
methylergonovine" which may cause psychosis and death ("acute ergot toxicity characterized by
peripheral vasospasm and ischemia of the extremities and other tissues"). http://www.thecesolution.com/ce/lessons/TCES_NewDrugs_1stHalf_2005_100105/
NewDrugs_1stHalf_2005_100105.htm

candida_albicans_or_candidiasis.htm

Ringworm is a fungus not a worm.http://www.medicinenet.com/ringworm_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

Alternative Medicine

Young, Robert & Shelley The PH Miracle - Balance Your Diet. Reclaim Your Health.
Chapter 6 Food Combining recommends that each meal consist of MOSTLY low-sugar/high water vegetables/fruits (70%) + a MINIMUM of protein (5% animal or 7% vegetable), natural oils (20-30%), and sugar (0.5-3%), using a 3 to 1 basis = 3 vegetables + 1 protein (or complex carbohydrate). Protein digestion takes place in the stomach and requires acidity, whereas starch/vegetable/fat digestion takes place in small intestine and requires mild alkalinity. Before, between and after (not during) meals indulge in water which has been alkalized with such as a fresh lemon/lime [not green powders with algae, mushrooms or probiotics (fermentable bacteria)]. Authors contend that poor/improper food combinations contribute to an excess of sticky mucus/phelm. Authors also urge one to have 1 raw/live organic food with each meal. Choose vegetables over fruit.
"Acids block the action of ptyalin, a component of saliva...necessary for...starch digestion. (The result is that) Starches...layer (vegetable) sugar on top of (fruit) sugar and (stomach) acid...The combination (of eating an excess of processed starch with an excess of animal proteins) creates enough poisons that it can actually shut down the immune system for 5 hours...(A garnish of natural/healthy) oil (such as olive oil salad dressing) slows digestion of starch."
Supplements recommended to maintain good PH and reverse fungus/candida: olive leaf, garlic, butyric acid, thioctic/lipoic acid, organic germanium, and rare (trace) metals. Germanium helps eliminate yeast and fungus, promote interferon production, stimulates cellular electrical impulses, and is antiparasitic!