3) Jock itch – This fungus appears on the groin and upper thighs and occurs for the same reasons that athlete’s foot appears – warm, moist conditions cause it to thrive. It’s found in both men and women, despite the name.
4) Candida – A yeast infection around the nails or body openings. Babies get it (diaper rash) and pubescent girls and women may have it around the vagina.
5) Pityriasis versicolor – This is a rash that appears on the chest.
Those who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious complications if a fungal infection develops. If you’re undergoing chemotherapy, or taking corticosteroids or anti-rejection drugs, fungal infections are particularly dangerous of getting out of control.
Also at major risk for complications are those with diabetes, HIV/AIDS, bad burns that have stripped the outer layers of skin, leukemia patients, those fighting kidney disease, patients with lung disorders, and those with Hodgkin’s lymphoma or other lymphomas.
Because the immune systems are already engaged in a struggle, adding a fungal infection overloads the system.
Ideal Conditions for Fungal Infections
For infections to flourish, they need the right conditions. Thus, showers, locker rooms, schools and close personal contact can cause them to spread from peer to peer. If you share a comb, visit a public pool with a locker room or don’t wear clean clothes every day, you are creating the warm, dark and moist conditions needed for fungi to thrive. Some antibiotics can bring on a rash because they kill off some of the beneficial bacteria on the body that fight with yeast for places to live. Rashes can develop because of an immune system disorder, but this is much rarer than simply being in the wrong place under the right conditions.