Fungal infection: Future danger to society

Ring worm infection is very common now days in India. If someone is infected with fungal infection (Ring worm), patient should avoid self medication and visit Dermatologist. Since four to five years fungal infection has become difficult to treat disease in some cases. Before this period ring worm could be treated with two weeks medicines only, but now a day it requires four to six weeks therapy. In some cases even six weeks therapy remains ineffective.

In last few years number of ringworm cases have increased three to five time in Skin OPD .When patient reach skin OPD, infection has already spread over most of the part of skin because of use of steroid creams and ointments and negligence. In such cases, ringworm reoccurs even after full course of treatment. This condition is known as ‘Resistant Fungal infection’.

One of the main cause for resistant infection is use of steroid cream like; Betno…N, Teno…GN, Cos…G, Lob..GN, Ring…d, Ring….r, Ring…t, Pan….m, Pan…….plus, Quadi…..m, Terbi…plus etc. These steroid creams are easily available in market at very low price .These can be very dangerous and problematic in ringworm infection as they make fungus germ to become more powerful. Once fungus become powerful, most advance and recent drugs also stop working against them. Other cause for resistant/Difficult to treat infection is irregular and incomplete treatment.

How can fungal infection be prevented?

• Keep skin clean and dry
• Avoid hot and humid environment
• Keep house and surrounding clean
• Keep your clothes clean
• Do not use any cream without doctor advise
• Do not share clothes/towel/comb

This condition is going to be so serious in coming years that no treatment will be left effective for it. This is an alarming situation; we need to be alert for now about it. Government should ban sale of such steroid cream without doctor prescription.Society should be made aware about this disease and potential complications of misuse of such drugs without doctor advise.