A public health physician, Dr. Durojaiye Bankole, has warned that damp and moist areas, especially during rainy season, can cause fungal infection that is highly contagious.
Bankole told News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja that such damp and moist areas could cause diseases like Athletes foot (Tinea pedis) foot rooth, ring warms or jock itch and other fungal diseases.
He said warm moist areas and damp clothing materials like towels, socks, bed sheets and shoes were breeding grounds for fungi and bacteria.
He said: “Damp warm areas in the house and moist fabrics like body towels posed major skin hazards such as ring warms and jock itching to the people living in such houses or using such fabrics.
“During rainy seasons, if damp areas and moist fabrics were not properly air out or ventilated, it could serve as breeding ground for micro organisms that could be harmful to the skin, causing those living in such houses or using the fabrics to easily contract this infections.”
Bankole added that fungi and bacteria could be found in community bathrooms or shower, swimming pools, kitchen sinks, wardrobe and waste bins.
On how to avoid such bacteria, he said people should have regular bath with soap and hot water, use disinfectant, allow proper ventilation, use of dry towels and wearing or rotation of shoes that allowed the foot to breath.
Bankole further said fungal disease, if not effectively treated, could be highly contagious and could cause skin reactions both in adults and children.
According to him, skin reaction can be body itching, dryness of skin, scaly rash, discomfort and if worsen, can sting and burn the affected skin when exposed.
He said signs of athletes foot fungal infection were bad toe nails, coloured toe nails (green Colour), smelly foot and itchy under foot especially between the toes.
“When an individual takes off his shoes and the whole room is polluted, that is a sign already; broken coloured toe nails are indications also that the foot needs air,” he said.
Bankole also said tight shoes, dirty inner wears, sweaty bed sheets, pillow cases and dirty wet socks were also prone to fungus bacteria.
He explained that damp and dirty socks, sweat soaked bed sheets or inner wear allowed bacteria to gain direct contact with the skin and eventually infect the skin, causing irritations and reactions on the body part contacted.
He noted that bacteria also gains easy access through broken or damaged skin and nails.
He advised the public, especially parents, not to allow children to share body towels, bed sheets, pillow case, inner wears and socks.
Bankole said: “Sharing of clothing that had direct contact with the skin was one of the easiest ways to spread the fungi and bacteria.
“When a house was not properly ventilated, such house would not escape fungal bacteria in the rainy season: every house ought to have at least two opposite windows for proper ventilation.”
He recommended over the counter anti fungal ointment, lotion, powder or spray to treat the condition.
NAN.
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