Svamporsakade

Svamporsakade is a medical descriptor used to designate diseases and conditions caused by fungi. The term is formed from svamp, meaning fungus, and orsakad, meaning caused by. In Swedish medical literature, svamporsakade infections are contrasted with bacterial or viral infections and with non-infectious dermatological conditions. The category encompasses a wide range of etiologies, from superficial infections of skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes to invasive and disseminated mycoses that affect internal organs, particularly in immunocompromised patients.

Common fungal groups implicated include dermatophytes (Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton), yeasts (Candida, Malassezia), and molds (Aspergillus, Zygomycetes). Superficial svamporsakade infections include dermatophytoses (tinea) and candidiasis of the skin or mucosa; onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection. Invasive svamporsakade infections can involve the lungs, bloodstream, CNS, or disseminated organs and are more common among patients with neutropenia, HIV, diabetes, or those receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

Diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion supplemented by laboratory tests such as microscopy (KOH preparation), fungal culture, histopathology, and molecular methods (PCR, MALDI-TOF). Imaging may assist in invasive disease. Treatment varies by site and severity, ranging from topical antifungals (azoles, allylamines) for superficial infections to systemic agents (fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, echinocandins) for invasive disease; duration often extends weeks to months.

Prevention focuses on hygiene, drying of skin, avoiding shared personal items, and reducing environmental exposure in high-risk settings.