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Articles
Articles are listed in the order they are posted. To explore specific health topics, visit the Conditions page.
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Causes of Tinea pedis
Tinea pedis, commonly called athlete’s foot, is caused by a fungal infection of the skin of the feet. It develops when dermatophyte fungi gain access to the outer layer of skin, survive there, and multiply under conditions that favor fungal growth and weaken the skin’s normal defenses. The condition is not caused by one single…
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Causes of Tinea cruris
Tinea cruris is caused by a fungal infection of the groin and inner thigh region, usually involving dermatophyte fungi that thrive on keratin-rich skin. It develops when these organisms are able to colonize the outer layer of the skin and overcome the body’s normal defenses. The condition is not caused by a single event; rather,…
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Causes of Tinea capitis
Tinea capitis is caused by infection of the scalp hair and surrounding skin by dermatophyte fungi, a group of organisms that feed on keratin. In practical terms, the condition develops when these fungi gain access to the scalp, establish growth in the stratum corneum and hair shaft, and overcome the skin’s local defenses. The causes…
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Causes of Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is caused by an abnormal immune reaction, most often triggered by a medication and less commonly by an infection or other medical stressor. The disorder develops when the immune system mistakenly identifies a drug-related compound or infection-associated signal as dangerous and launches an aggressive cytotoxic response against the skin and mucous membranes. This…
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Causes of Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin develops when the squamous cells in the epidermis acquire genetic damage that allows them to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way. The most important cause is cumulative exposure to ultraviolet radiation, but the disease arises through a broader biological process in which DNA damage, impaired repair, altered immune…
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Causes of Scabies
Scabies is caused by infestation with a tiny parasitic mite, Sarcoptes scabiei , which burrows into the outer layer of the skin and triggers an inflammatory response. In practical terms, the condition develops when the mite is able to transfer to a new host, survive on the skin, and begin reproducing in the superficial epidermis.…
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Causes of Rubella
Rubella is caused by infection with the rubella virus, an enveloped RNA virus in the genus Rubivirus . In practical terms, the condition develops when the virus enters the body, replicates in the upper respiratory tract and lymph nodes, and then spreads through the bloodstream to produce a systemic infection. The illness is therefore not…