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Skin Infections: Viral and Parasitic

With the June holidays on, my kids have been going outdoors to play quite a bit in parks and fields. I always insist that they’ve got their footwear on during such trips. While it seems a romantic idea to be in close contact with Mother Earth, my concern has always been that they can easily pick up a skin infection through their exposed feet. Perhaps, my personal sensitivities to grass which can cause me to itch severely, serve to heighten my anxiety with my kids.

Well, today’s post is on skin infections. Not just with the feet, personal hygiene factors and strengthening immune system can play a part in the risks of developing skin diseases. There are many kinds of skin infections and they can be caused by a virus or a parasite. Common viral skin infections include cold sores, herpes zoster (shingles) and warts; while common parasitic skin infections include creeping eruption, lice and scabies.

Viral Skin Infections:

You would be probably familiar with the term cold sores, as it is an infliction suffered by many. Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus. They are tiny blisters formed around the mouth. A change in weather or a lowered immunity can bring about an outbreak of herpes simplex virus. The condition usually starts with a tingling sensation on the lips, before erupting into intense itching.

Shingles is also known as Herpes Zoster. It is an infection that involves the formation of blisters that can grow anywhere on the body. This condition can cause much misery as pain resulting from it can last for months. You are at greater risk to developing shingles if your immune system is weak and if you are over 50 years of age. Symptoms of shingles include skin sensitivity or pain in the area where the rash developed. It is also possible to get small, pitted scars after the blisters turned yellow and dry. Additional early warning signs of this skin infection include fever, headache and tummy upset.

Warts are caused by a virus. It is easy to mistake them to be cancerous; in reality, they are not. Children are very susceptible to getting warts. This usually happens when they walk bare footed outdoors. Warts are contagious; they can be spread by skin-to-skin contact. There are different types of warts, common, foot, flat, genital and filiform.

Parasitic Skin Infections:

Parasites and worms can easily burrow into your skin and lay eggs there. In fact, creeping eruption is caused by hookworms. Sometimes, you can detect this skin infection by a winding rash caused by the hookworm burrowing into a tract. The parasite is spreadable via contact with the feces of cats and dogs who have hookworms. Symptoms include severe itching of the feet, legs, back or buttock regions with this condition.

Lice are tiny insects that can infest the skin anywhere on the body. You will be dismayed to find out that you can have them on your head or even in the pubic area. Lice are highly contagious. They spread easily with close body contact, sharing of clothes or other personal care items like hairbrushes, towels and combs. Head lice are a common occurence in school aged kids, and in childcare environments. The eggs of lice are called nits. Believe me: It takes forever to get rid of them if your kid has unfortunately caught them from someone! Body lice are seen most often on those who practice poor personal hygiene. Pubic lice is contagious; transmitting easily by sexual contact with an infected person, or sharing personal care items with someone who has public lice.

Scabies are caused by mites which are microscopic insects. This infection is usually spread from one person to another through sleeping together and with close personal contact. Symptoms may take up to six weeks to manifest after contact and can appear anywhere on the body as well. Symptoms include itching, rash with small pimples or red bumps. The advanced symptoms include scaly or crusty skin. Scabies is fortunately treatable.

Comments

One Response to “Skin Infections: Viral and Parasitic”

Vince on June 16th, 2008 8:22 am

I need help with an infection.
I have bad shingles and its all over my body, my face weeps constantly.
any ideas.
thank you

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