The ancient world has given mankind a lot of knowledge that helps to study, analyze and understand various phenomena in the modern vein. The term "lichen" also was not an exception - since ancient times, this disease was known to people, which they interpreted as an ailment, which is accompanied by peeling and discoloration of the skin.
Then the lichen was the collective name of all the diseases that manifested as desquamation and reddening of the skin. Today, lichen is a more specific concept, and it is already known that it is caused by the fungus of the genus Microsporum. First and foremost, it is an animal disease, but it is contagious for humans.
Microsporia is the scientific name of depriving a person and an animal. One contact is enough for a person to get infected if he has weak immunity. This is called ringworm, which is manifested by whitish, grayish crusts.
Signs of microsporia in humans
Symptoms of microsporia in humans do not occur immediately - it may take several weeks before visual signs of the disease appear.
First the fungus, getting on the skin and hair, begins to multiply. If the hair is affected, the fungus penetrates inside, spreads over the entire surface, and then completely surrounds the hair, forming a cover.
It is of great importance, the causative agent of which type became the cause of the disease - zoophilic fungi give the most vivid symptomatology, and anthropophilic - mild.
Microsporia on the scalp
Gradually on the scalp formed plaques with crusts of grayish hue - they have smooth edges, an oval or round shape and reach 6 cm in diameter. At the center of the lesion, the hair breaks off at a length of about 2 cm.
All the hair at the roots is covered with a so-called "clutch" of whitish shade. Affected hairs are easily removed by forceps, as the fungus affects not only the stem, but also the root.
Microsporia on a smooth surface of the skin
If the disease has arisen on smooth skin, then in this area there are spots up to 3 cm - they are round, of regular shape with even edges. As a rule, they are observed in open places, and this is due to the fact that infection occurs with direct contact with the pathogen. The spots are surrounded by a roller with bubbles. When the bubbles burst, crusts form in their place.
The incubation period of microsporia in humans caused by zoophilic fungi is about 2 weeks. With anthropophilic infection, the incubation period can reach 4-6 weeks.
Treatment of microsporia in humans
Before treating a microsporia in a person, it must be isolated from others and allocated personal things that, after recovery, can either be well treated or discarded to avoid relapse.
The main means of treating the disease are antifungal agents - ointments, creams, sprays.
If you adhere to the classical treatment, then the first means of microsporia will be a 10% solution of iodine and salicylic acid. They process affected areas and areas adjacent to them.
Well-proven sulfuric salicylic ointment , which treat the skin until complete recovery.
Also from the microsporia, 10% sulfuric-ointment is effective.
In addition to local treatment, general medicines are used in the treatment, for example, Griseofulvin. It is an antifungal antibiotic that breaks the ability of the fungus to multiply.
In microsporia, the daily dosage for adults is up to 1000 mg - 8 tablets. Tablets are taken daily until the first negative test result, and then every other day for 2 weeks, and after this time, it is necessary to reduce the intake to two times a week for 2 weeks.
For the prevention of microsporia it is necessary to isolate a person from the source of the disease for 6 weeks, and also to use the allocated linen and personal items, which are then either disinfected or discarded.