Also called: Mycoses
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Fungal Infections
If you have ever had athlete's foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is a primitive organism. Mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples. Fungi live in air, in soil, on plants and in water. Some live in the human body. Only about half of all types of fungi are harmful.
Some fungi reproduce through tiny spores in the air. You can inhale the spores or they can land on you. As a result, fungal infections often start in the lungs or on the skin. You are more likely to get a fungal infection if you have a weakened immune system or take antibiotics.
Fungi can be difficult to kill. For skin and nail infections, you can apply medicine directly to the infected area. Oral antifungal medicines are also available for serious infections.
It sits within Infections and Skin, Hair and Nails.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Fungal Infections
8,009 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Natural History of Trisomy 8-Associated Autoinflammatory Disease (TRIAD) and Related DisordersNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- B-PaLMZ for TB MeningitisDavid Boulware
- Characterizing Diversity and Antifungal Resistance in Immunocompromised ICU Patients With Respiratory Tract InfectionsNew Valley University
- Screening With Portable X-rays for Rapid Recognition of TBColumbia University
- Modeling Host-Pathogen Interaction Using Lymphoid OrganoidsNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- Evaluation, Treatment, and Follow-up of Patients With Lyme DiseaseNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Research already completed
- A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of mRNA-1975 and mRNA-1982 Against Lyme Disease in Participants 18 Through 70 Years of AgeModernaTX, Inc.
- Tolerability and Immunogenicity of a Single 40-ug Dose of rBV A/B for the Production of BabyBIG®California Department of Public Health
- ThiPhiSA: New Pathways to Prevention From Community TB Screening in South AfricaUniversity of Washington
- Alternative Antibiotics for SyphilisFundación FLS de Lucha Contra el Sida, las Enfermedades Infecciosas y la Promoción de la Salud y la Ciencia
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Fungal DiseasesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnosis and Tests
- Fungal Culture TestNational Library of Medicine
- Rash EvaluationNational Library of Medicine
- Skin Rashes and Other Skin ProblemsAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
- Sputum CultureNational Library of Medicine
Treatments and Therapies
- Treating Fungal Diseases with AntifungalsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Fungus Infections: Preventing RecurrenceAmerican Osteopathic College of Dermatology
- Preventing the Spread of C. aurisCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Risk Factors for Fungal DiseasesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- Guidance for Investigating Fungal Disease OutbreaksCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: HistoplasmosisNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: MycosesNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Mycoses. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Fungal Infections, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.