Project Abstract

Abstract
Fungi are ubiquitous in the environment and can colonize various human body surfaces, including the skin, oral cavity, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary tract. The interaction between fungi and the human body is complex and can vary depending on factors such as the immune status of the host, the presence of underlying medical conditions, and environmental exposures. Understanding fungal colonization on human body surfaces is crucial for managing both commensal and pathogenic fungal infections. On the skin, fungi are part of the normal microbial flora and play a role in maintaining skin homeostasis. However, changes in the skin microenvironment, such as moisture and pH levels, can promote the overgrowth of certain fungal species, leading to conditions like tinea versicolor, dermatophytosis, and candidiasis. In the oral cavity, Candida species are the most common fungi colonizing the mucosal surfaces, and their overgrowth can result in oral thrush or denture stomatitis. In the respiratory tract, fungal colonization is commonly seen in individuals with conditions like cystic fibrosis, asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Aspergillus species are frequent colonizers in the respiratory tract and can lead to invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. In the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiota plays a crucial role in preventing fungal overgrowth, and disruptions in the microbial balance can result in conditions like candidiasis or invasive fungal infections. In the genitourinary tract, Candida species are again prominent colonizers, with vaginal candidiasis being a common manifestation of fungal overgrowth. Factors such as hormonal changes, antibiotic use, and diabetes can increase the risk of developing fungal infections in the genitourinary tract. Moreover, fungal colonization in the urinary tract can lead to conditions like fungal urethritis or cystitis. Overall, fungal colonization on human body surfaces is a dynamic process influenced by host factors, environmental exposures, and the interplay between fungi and the host microbiota. While some fungal colonizers are harmless commensals, others can cause opportunistic infections, especially in individuals with compromised immune systems. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of fungal colonization patterns on human body surfaces is essential for developing strategies to prevent and manage fungal infections effectively.

Project Overview

                      INTRODUCTION

Fungi are a major group of living things, originally considered plants lacking chlorophyll, leaves, true stems, roots and reproducing by spores, but now treated as the separate kingdom fungi.
They occur in all environments on the planet and include important decomposers and parasites. Parasitic fungi infect animals including human, other animals, birds, and insects with consequences varying from mild itching to death, in general, humans have a high level of inmate immunity to fungi and most of the infections they cause are mild and self limiting (Adeleke, 2006).
Fungi are contacted during our everyday routines, some which are potentially pathogenic to human and other not human could be exposed simply by walking by a construction areas were the oil has been disturbed and scattered into the wind by the machinery, also can be exposed while jogging, hiking, hunting and fishing. The study of fungi as animal and human pathogen is called mycology (Emmons 1979)
Also, they are eukaryotic, unicellular, or multi-cellular organisms that, because they lack chlorophyll, are dependent upon external food sources. They are ubiquitous in all environments and play a vital role in the Earth’s ecology by decomposing organic matter. Familiar fungi includes yeasts, rusts, smuts, mushrooms, puffballs, and bracket fungi. Many species of fungi live as commensal organisms in or on the surfaces of the human body. “Mold” is the common term for multicellular fungi that growths as a material of intertwined microscopic filaments (hyphae).  Exposure of molds and other fungi and their spores is unavoidable except when the most stringent of air filtration, isolation, and environmental sanitation measures are observed, e.g in organ transplant isolation units.

Molds and other fungi may adversely affect human health through three processes. (1) allergy (2) infection and (3) toxicity. One can estimate that about 10% of the population has allergic antibodies to fungal antigens. Only half of these, or 5%, would be expected to show clinical illness. Furthermore, outdoor molds are generally more abundant and important in airway allergic disease than indoor molds leaving the latter with an important, but minor over all role in allergic airway disease.