[charlenetaylor@mac.com (OP)]

My 20 year old son has been in Chinandega, Nicaragua, for 2 months serving on an LDS Church mission and has picked up an apparent foot fungus (his companion had it previously).  Availability of meds is very limited there.  I'm wondering if anyone can identify the causative agent (fungus, parasite, etc.) and recommend treatment.

Here is his description:  Yep... foot fungus.  It's attacking my right heel at the moment.  It has a funny habit of eating into the skin in a honey-comb shaped pattern... so my heel looks a bit like the surface of a golf-ball.  No it doesn't hurt, but it looks funny, and doesn't really make you feel that great.  I'll probably figure out a way to kill it when I get back to the states.

Just on the chance that it's caused by a fungus, I'm sending Gold Bond medicated powder (symptomatic relief) and Tinactin anti-fungal cream.  

Anyone have any other ideas?  Any experience with this?  I live in Texas and haven't encountered this kind of problem ... and my friends whose sons have also served 2 year missions in tropical countries haven't heard of anything similar.

Thanks for any help you can offer.  Please reply offline and share your credentials so I know you aren't a crackpot LOL.

[chris]

It sounds like athlete's foot - tinea pedis - which is caused by a fungus (trichophyton). Although usually confined to the gaps between the toes (where it is almost permanently damp) the fungus can spread across any part of the feet, especially if they are kept in sweaty trainers all day.

The treatment is a standard anti-fungal cream, regular washing, and clean socks. Avoid wearing trainers or other trench-foot inducing footwear.

Another possibility is a crop of veruccas (plantar warts) which would also produce the honeycomb-like appearence on the heel. These are caused by a virus (HPV) and respond to desquamative therapy using things like salicylate ointment.

chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[daktarin]

Daktarin is a range of anti-fungal products for the effective treatment of athlete's foot and other common fungal skin infections. newbielink:http://www.daktarin.co.uk [nonactive] . Here you can find information and advice to help you to perform to your personal best.

[Harry01]

Lucky you have a problem that you can match with pictures and isn't misdiagnosed as lichen schlerosus. Hahaha.