Definitions

Mycosis are diseases induced by very old organisms (the ancestors of plants and animals).
These organisms seek for heat and moisture, if possible available continuously.
We use to separate it between:

Mushrooms

Anyone have yet seen or eaten a mushroom, or, more exactly the carpophore of a mushroom.
This barbaric name shows the apparent part of mushrooms, the spores ('seeds') dispersion organ.
But, all mushrooms don't make carpophores.

In fact, the mushroom is made of an invisible and big filament web splitting and invading their predilection habitat (soil, woods, leaves, and, here, the skin).

Mushrooms attacking skin are called dematophytes (dermatos = skin, phytos = plant).
They are responsibles of diseases naturally called dermatophytosis.

The most currently involved with pets are:

• Microsporum canis: (micros = small; sporus = spore; canis = dog)
  It attacks cats above all, but it is found also on dogs man rabbit, hamster.
  It grows anywhere on skin, forming little rounded or ringed spots.
• Trichophyton spp.: (trichos = hair; phyton = plant; spp. to tell thereare many)
  It attacks horses, cows and humans.
  It grows also anywhere on skin forming little rounded or ringed spots.

Yeasts

... not only for making beer:
A very common yeast, normally present in the digestive tract and which cause problems in case of pullulation is the Candida albicans (candida = brilliant white albicus = white).
It may attack as well to skin, as well to mucous tissues.
 
The inducted disease is called candidosis. It may spring in different ways:

• Perleche: Partial destruction of the skin at the corners of lips (each side of the mouth).
• Thrush, Candidiasis, or Candidiasitic Stomatitis: (stomatos = aperture) Attack all the inside of the mouth (cheeks, palate, tongue, gums) appearing as diffuse irritation, the mucous tissue becoming smooth, painful and scattered with little white balls.
• Candidiasic Vulvo-vaginitis: : Attack the female genital system, a bit in the same manner as the mouth.
• Balanoposthitis : Especially barabaric name (balanos = glans; posth = penis) naming an attack of the male genital system as pustules becoming wider and covering itself with a pallid coat.

Moulds

They are so abundants in Nature that we take it within mushrooms. By chance, few are pathogenics: The number of diseases, which implies it, is weak and it works as rare diseases.

Unfortunately for us, pathogenic moulds live in tropical countries, and Polynesia is a tropical country.

These moulds grow equally in places constantly hot and wet: The skin between hands and feet fingers, or nails.

The most often encountered are:

• Scytalidium spp. : (scytal = stick; di = double)
• Scopulariopsis brevicaulis : (scopulus = brush; brevis = short; caulis = handle, stick)

But there are many others: Fusarium, Aspergillus, Cladosporum, ...

Contagion

Mycosis are transmitted by direct contact or with spores. Direct contact beeing the most "efficient".

Disliking coldness, and especially dryness, the preventive struggle is easy to guess.
Moulds are, besides, the main motivation having lead the creation of refrigerators and sterilizers.

Spores are microscopic and are part of the air dust.

It is thus impossible to guard against any contact with it.

On the other hand, letting a source of infection growing advantages their expansion.

Treatments

An obvious prevention is to dry and ventilate feet and hands as much as possible.

About S.T.D. (Sexually Transmissible Diseases) as candidosis, the basic rule is to treat oneself and to avoid sexual contacts as soon as it is noticed.

Basic Hygiene (wash oneself with soap) is normally enough to eliminate mushrooms, before an attack.

In case of disease, it exist numerous fungicides for animals and for us, fitted for a special mushroom or with wide spectrum,
and which will be prescribed by a specialist.

NEVER LET A MYCOSIS GET WIDE:
The more you wait, the harder and the most expensive it will take to cure.