[Influence of nutrition, common autoimmune diseases and smoking on the incidence of foot mycoses]. / Einfluss von Ernährung, autoimmunen Volkskrankheiten und Rauchen auf die Erkrankungshäufigkeit von Fußmykosen.

BACKGROUND: Foot mycoses, including onychomycoses, are worldwide infectious diseases. As part of a regional survey using randomly selected residents of in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, we investigated the impact of dietary habits, the presence of most frequent autoimmune diseases and current smoking on fungal skin infections in order to reveal potential new risk factors to elucidate potential preventive interventions. OBJECTIVES: The identification of potential new factors that influence the development of mycosis was performed in order to derive possible preventive measures. METHODS: In the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) in Mecklengburg-Western Pomerania, 2523 inhabitants were examined for mycotic lesions and asked about nutritional habits, the presence of atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, psoriasis and smoking habits. RESULTS: In all, 8% of probands were diagnosed with mycosis, 6.5% onychomycosis, 3.7% tinea pedis and 0.2% tinea corporis. Psoriasis, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis and frequent consumption of cooked potatoes, oatmeal and corn flakes, cereals, pasta and rice were significantly associated with tinea pedis. Onychomycosis was positively associated with consumption of cooked potatoes. Cigarette consumption proved protective for tinea pedis and dermatophyte colonization. CONCLUSIONS: The autoimmune disorders psoriasis and atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis seem to predispose to foot mycosis. Recalcitrant mycosis should raise the question of diets high in carbohydrates. Nicotine abuse seems to protect against skin mycosis and colonization.

Skin decontamination by low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma jet and dielectric barrier discharge plasma.

BACKGROUND: Over the past few years, plasma medicine has become an important field in medical science. Cold plasma has proven anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antineoplastic effects. AIM: To test the decontamination power of two cold plasma sources [low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD)] in vivo on human fingertips. METHODS: After 3, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 s of spot treatment with the APPJ and DBD, the log reduction factors (RFs) of physiological (PF) and artificially (AF) contaminated flora (Staphylococcus epidermidis and Micrococcus luteus) were calculated. The bacterial load was determined after counting. Tolerance (paresthesia, pain and heat) was measured using a numerical rating scale. FINDINGS: Both plasma devices led to a significant reduction in PF and AF. The maximum log reduction factors for PF were 1.3 for the DBD at 210 s and 0.8 for the APPJ at 60 s. For AF, the maximum log reduction factors were 1.7 for the DBD at 90 s and 1.4 for the APPJ at 120 s. Treatment with both devices was well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Both the APPJ and DBD were highly effective in eradicating PF and AF from the fingertips of healthy volunteers. No plasma-resistant isolates were observed. Cold plasma appears to have potential for skin disinfection. For hand hygiene purposes, plasma exposure times would need to be reduced significantly by technical means.