Fungi

This is the week for fungi. Although I missed out on the cepe hunt yesterday, today my dad brought me round some top quality dried porcini (same species) from their recent Italian trip. It's a shame that the kiddos won't eat mushrooms, but I plan to rustle up a nice porcini risotto for R. and me soon.

The other news is that (I think) I have a fungal condition, and am really happy!! This is because, if I'm right in my self-diagnosis, it's very treatable.

I've had a back rash for years which drives me crazy with itching and inflammation; worse in a hot climate, with synthetic clothing and my perimenopausal night sweats. This has been treated as acne for the last 6 months, but the tetracycline antibiotics from the GP are making no difference. Its been getting worse and more embarrassing so that I can't wear sleeveless or backless tops, and the last person to see me naked asked me what was wrong with my back.

After the fever-sweat night, when I was itching like crazy, I googled 'common dermatological conditions' and followed up a link to Pityrosporum Folliculitis- hey presto! The photos, symptoms, exacerbations, body distribution ('cape' distribution on upper back, chest and arms), along with resistance to antibiotics all mimic my problem. If I'm right and this is the diagnosis, I'm cured.

It's caused by an overgrowth in the hair follicles of an endemic skin yeast, Malassezia furfur, which feeds off skin sebum. It is not transmissable- 90% of humans already have the fungus, but only PF sufferers show symptoms to this natural skin fauna. It's easily treatable by using an anti-fungal shampoo on the skin, perhaps also with systemic ketoconazole if needed. My mum has the same condition, so if I'm cured so will she be. Interestingly, 'cradle cap' (the flaking of the scalp affecting 80% of neonates in the first month of birth) is thought to represent the initial neonatal infection with Malassezia furfur.