What is Favus
By: BonebrakeTotal Views: 314, Word Count: 548,
Favus is a type of skin disease. To know more about what is favus, let us first focus on its nature and the organism present behind this.
What is Favus?
· Favus is a type of disease which normally affects the scalp. It can affect on any part of the skin and sometimes on the mucous membranes too.
· It is basically an uncomplicated presence of circular, yellowish, cup-shaped crusts known as scutula.
· They are grouped in patches like a honeycomb. Each patch is similar to the size of a split pea, with a hair projecting in the center.
· Slowly, this scutula increases in size, so that the lesion can look round at the edge of the scab.
· The growth of favus continues to take place for more than a few months. Then the scab and scutulum come away, leaving a shining exposed patch destitute of hair.
· The disease is known to be chronic which can last for ten to twenty years
· It is caused by a fungus, Trichophyton schoenleinii and is identified as the reaction of the tissues to the fugal growth.
· At the time of initial infection, the fungal spores enter through the unbroken coetaneous surface. It slowly germinates in and/or around the hair follicle and also sometimes in the shaft of the hair.
Important Aspects of Favus
· It is known to be the fungus disease discovered by J. L. Schönlein in 1839 which is named after the discoverer.
· In 1892, there is discovery of two new species of the fungus namely Favus griseus which develops grayish-yellow scutula and Favus sulphureus celerior, causing sulfur-yellow scutula.
Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Favus
· As we all are familiar, favus is a skin disease of the scalp. It has the most specific feature of formation of air spaces between hyphae inside the infected hair.
· Such infected hair is known as Favus-type hair
· Favus can take place in children and adults. It can take place during childhood or adolescence and persists into adulthood.
· Favus can spread by contagion, specifically from cats, dogs and mice
· This takes place in three stages. In the first stage, only the presence of erythema of the scalp around hair follicles takes place. In this stage, hairs are not loose. In the second stage, formation of scutula takes place which leads to the beginning of hair loss. In the third and severe stage, large areas of the scalp affects by extensive atrophy, hair loss and scarring result.
Causes of Favus
In general, Favus can develop due to the following infections:
· T schoenleinii
· M gypseum
· Vegetable parasite
· T violaceum
· T mentagrophytes var quinckeanum
Common Treatment for Favus
· It is known to be controlled properly with the help of griseofulvin antibiotic. Along with this, the standard treatment of tinea capitis can be used for the longer treatment course.
· It is studied that T schoenleinii is very sensitive to newer antifungal drugs which can cure the disease.
· Additional agents like shampoo containing 2.5% selenium sulfide, 2% ketoconazole can be used for treatment.
Now as we are familiar about what is favus, it is more important to maintain proper hygiene of the scalp to avoid further complications.
About the Author
Bone brake is a well known allergist. His practice encompasses naturopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition. Skin conditions treated include eczema, psoriasis and acne. He explored the treatment of allergies and allergic based conditions such as asthma, eczema and hayfever are by using different diets and techniques such as blood type diet, rotation diet, exclusion diet and kinesiology
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