Getting under your skin: how a fungus takes hold
Written by Heather Davies-Strickleton, Senior Analytical Scientist We are not alone in this world. Although we can’t see them, we share our surroundings with billions of tiny microscopic organisms (microbes). Like us, they’re looking for a cosy place to [...]
Starting off on the right foot
Written by Dr Heather Davies-Strickleton, Senior Analytical Scientist Now a new year is here we start to take a closer look at ourselves. Our body shape, weight and diet are key areas we frequently try to improve. But what [...]
Stamping out Athlete’s foot
Written by Heather Davies-Strickleton, Senior Analytical Scientist Running into trouble: Athlete’s foot is a common problem Athlete’s foot needs no introduction. A whopping 1 in 6 of us are estimated to have this fungal infection of the foot (also known [...]
Ringworm you can catch by playing sports: Tinea cruris and tinea corporis
Sports are a big part of our lives. The benefits of keeping active and healthy, both physically and mentally, have never been more recognised. However, sports also come with risks, such as sprains, strains and in some cases broken bones. [...]
Ringworm of the scalp: tinea capitis
Written by Dr Heather Davies-Strickleton, Senior Analytical Scientist Despite its name, ringworm is not caused by worms, it’s caused by fungi called dermatophytes that can infect the skin and cause a ring-shaped rash. This rash can occur anywhere on [...]
Fungal infection treatments – What you need to know
The significance of fungal infection is often neglected in society. However, fungal infections affect more than a billion people, resulting in approximately 11.5 million life-threatening infections and more than 1.5 million deaths annually.1 The antifungals, used to treat fungal infections, are a diverse group of drugs that include inhibitors of membrane and [...]
Fungal Infection – Not Just Toenails
Onychomycosis (fungal nail infection) and tinea pedis (athlete’s foot), are some of the most common forms of fungal infection in adults and are often the first things that spring to mind when thinking of fungal infection. However, many other forms of fungal infection exist, which affect all different [...]
The rise of resistant Candida auris – A global issue
Fungal ‘superbug’ drug-resistant Candida auris has been identified by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a ‘serious threat to global health’ following a startling increase in the number of infection cases that do not respond to treatment over recent years. Candida is most notably associated with thrush, which although not life-threatening, affects [...]
Fungal Disease – A Global Opportunity for Improved Health in Developing Countries
As the World Health Organization focuses on what universal health coverage means in 2019, we explore the global challenges and opportunities in the control of fungal infection. Although we often think of fungal infection in a cosmetic context, only [...]
UK-Based Nanomedicine firm set plans to initiate a large phase II efficacy study in 2019
Fungal Nail Infection (Onychomycosis) is the most common nail disorder.1 Risk factors such as trauma, old age, diabetes, immunosuppression, tinea pedis, psoriasis, and family history are leading to an increased prevalence.2 Onychomycosis is characterised by nail thickening, splitting, roughening and [...]