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While I think there is a high probability that a single yeast/fungus type of pathogen is responsible for the infections of the apocrine sweat glands (the condition known as HS), I feel that many of the symptoms and diseases that HS sufferers also have in common are part of a secondary reaction. There may even be multiple pathogens that work together to cause them. There might be an allergy to be considered. So I will try to explain all of these primary and secondary infections and the body's reactions to them.
The major players in my theory are:
- Pityrosporum ovale - a common yeast that may be present in and on nearly all people.
- Candida albicans - a common yeast that may be present in and on nearly all people.
- Adrenal exhaustion - a condition where a person's endocrine system is severely overworked.
http://www.seniormag.com/conditions/skindisorders
Under normal conditions, P. ovale yeasts can live on the skin without causing any problems. For example, one study found that yeast-like organisms made up 46 percent of scalp flora in people without dandruff problems; 74 percent in those who had dandruff, and 82 percent in those who were diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis.
Candida albicans is mostly known for causing vaginal yeast infections and a condition that young children sometimes get called Oral Thrush. There are a lot of claims that Candida albicans can also be responsible for endocrine system disorders that can result in Diabetes, Crohn's Disease, and others, in addition to many symptoms such as indigestion, bloating, gas, fatigue, disorientation, poor memory, numbness, abdominal pain, constipation, attacks of anxiety, depression, irritability and shaking when hungry, incoordination, headaches, rashes, and urinary frequency. For more information on diseases and symptoms caused by Candida albicans, please visit http://www.annboroch.com/candida.htm , the website of Ann Boroch, a Naturopath, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Iridologist, educator, author, and inspirational speaker who claims to have cured herself of Multiple Sclerosis. Another good source of information about Candida albicans may be Dr. William Crook's book entitled, The Yeast Connection.
These two yeasts also share the unique ability to transform from a yeast form into that of a fungus form. It is in the fungus form that they may be more dangerous. In the yeast form they may be relatively harmless. In the fungus form, perhaps they become a pathogen and invade our system. That is where they do the real damage that results in adrenal exhaustion.
In so many ways, you could consider these two micro organisms to be almost interchangeable. They are nearly identical in their pathology, reproduction, ability to spore, and preference for an acidic environment. And yet they are harmless to most people. So what causes them to become reactive in some people?
My research indicates that Pityrosporum ovale can cause an allergic reaction in some people. This is shown in the following excerpt from http://ppv.ovid.com/pt/re/algy/abstract~
Background: Patients with atopic dermatitis often develop immunoglobulin E antibodies against the yeast Pityrosporum ovale. This organism may produce positive skin prick reactions in a higher rate in patients with atopic dermatitis of the head, scalp, and neck region.
It is not known if a specific allergy to Candida albicans has been observed.
Given this information, we can consider the possibility that some people exhibit an allergic reaction to Pityrosporum ovale and produce antibodies. From the site at
http://www.seniormag.com/conditions/skindisorders we further learn that:
the presence of P. ovale is not the sole factor contributing to dandruff problems. When, for whatever reason, the body's balance is disturbed, one of several immune responses often are produced in dandruff patients.
* One is the production of antibodies, which are immunoglobulin molecules that react with a specific antigen (a substance capable of inducing a specific immune response and reacting with the products of that response).
Certain studies show the highest titers of antibodies to P. ovale are found in patients with the highest amounts of dandruff.
* Hypersensitivity, or an overreaction of the immune system to an antigen, also probably contributes to dandruff. Hypersensitivity reactions have the same mechanisms as those of protective immunity, except that while the latter protects against disease, hypersensitivity leads to tissue damage and disease.
The environmental factors linked to dandruff may contribute to hypersensitivity reactions in dandruff patients.
* Additionally, there is substantial evidence that P. ovale feed off the lipids and proteins present in the skin and then secrete lipase or other enzymes.
The increased P. ovale found in dandruff patients may facilitate lipase activity, during which the organisms digest skin lipids and turn them into irritant fatty acids, causing skin inflammation and tissue damage. This may lead to the skin reaction associated with dandruff.
This lipase activity indicates that in addition to hypersensitivity, the P. ovale release toxic substances or chemicals that may contribute to the development of a fungal infection.
For a long time, effective therapy for dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis has been seen with compounds whose only common link was antipityrosporal activity. But proof of this relationship was lacking until the introduction of antifungal drugs - in particular, ketoconazole.
The role of ketoconazole in dandruff therapy : The mechanism of action of ketoconazole has been extensively studied. Studies with various fungal species have shown that ketoconazole acts primarily by damaging the fungal cell wall, leading to its death.
While many of antifungal drugs have produced a good inhibitory effect on P. ovale, studies have shown that ketoconazole was the most powerful.
So how does all of this relate to HS? I believe that Pityrosporum ovale, or another variety of Pityrosporum is responsible for the actual infection of the apocrine sweat glands, and that an allergic reaction (overreaction) by the immune system results in intense swelling and draining.
I also believe that this immune system reaction and the acidic environment created by Pityrosporum contribute to the opportunity for Candida albicans to become overgrown. Perhaps it is the immune system response that triggers the Pityrosporum and candida to change into their pathogenic, fungal mode which facilitates their spreading into other tissues by way of the blood stream. This results in a systemic infection that can include nearly all of the body's organs. This is what brings about Adrenal exhaustion.
Outside factors most likely contribute to how quickly or effectively these pathogens can spread and colonize within our bodies. The use of antibiotics, exposure to heavy metals, and stress can all play important roles in suppressing our natural, beneficial flora. These factors are possibly the cause for the yeast(s) changing into their pathogenic fungus form, or they may only assist in the further colonization by them. There is little or no research data available regarding this.
Evidence that shows that a person's body has become more acidic includes the presence of other funguses such as Tinea, which are responsible for ringworm, athletes foot, nail fungus, jock itch and various skin rashes. This acidic environment may be the result of toxins released into the body by fungus living inside us and on our skin.
As the organisms digest skin lipids and turn them into irritant fatty acids, our skin provides an acidic host environment for any acid-loving fungus. Also, these skin lipids are depleted, causing other reactions. Without skin lipids to blend with the salty water that our eccrine sweat glands are producing, we fail to create a barrier on our skin, as this excerpt from http://www.jrsm.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/5/236 shows:
The secretions of sebaceous and apocrine glands fulfill an important thermoregulatory role in cold-stressed and heat-stressed hunter-gatherers. In hot conditions the secretions emulsify eccrine sweat and thus encourage the formation of a sweat sheet and discourage the formation and loss of sweat drops from the skin. In colder conditions sebum changes its nature and repels rain from skin and hair.
This loss of an emulsified sweat sheet renders our body incapable of regulating our body temperature properly. We experience extreme sensitivity to heat and cold. Since our body can not dissipate heat properly from our skin, our brains continue to receive a message from our skin that it is too hot. Our brains respond with a command to create more sweat. As such, we end-up sweating excessively but we never get the cooling benefit that sweating is supposed to provide. So excessive sweating and hypersensitivity to heat and cold might also be good indications that these funguses may be present, and that your skin is providing an acidic environment.
These funguses create a lot of toxins as waste products. These toxins are excreted from the organisms and exist in our bodies. They can trigger further immune responses in an attempt to eliminate them. The importance of these toxins on the human body can not be overstated. Given the fact that these organisms can exist in huge numbers throughout our body, the amount of toxins created can be very substantial and have extreme effects. If you look at this chart from Dr. William Crook's book entitled, The Yeast Connection, published by permission on Ann Boroch's website: http://www.annboroch.com/pdf/conditions_candida.PDF You can see just how many diseases and symptoms can be caused by exhaustion of the adrenal glands and other parts of the endocrine system as a result of the toxins and acidic environment created by these pathogens.
If an allergy is truly implicated here, the methods of treatment are limited. We can try to eliminate as much of the pathogen from our bodies as possible, both on our skin and internally with anti-fungal medications and/or herbal supplements. We can try to change our body's pH level from acidic to alkaline to provide an inhospitable environment for fungus. We can try to increase the number of beneficial bacteria in our internal flora by taking acidophilus and other pro-biotic supplements. We can change our diet to include less of the sugar, carbohydrates and alcohol that these funguses use for food. The best we can hope to do is to keep their numbers down to prevent the overgrowth. Fortunately, regardless of which variety of fungus we are fighting, the treatment is the same.
Another thing to consider is the use of antibiotics, exposure to heavy metals and stress. These things are very detrimental to our internal flora. We must try to limit our use of antibiotics, reduce exposure to mercury, lead and cadmium, and try to find ways to deal with stress in our lives.
~Jason Cameron
Obligatory Disclaimer:
The information contained throughout this website is intended for educational purposes only. It is not meant to either directly or indirectly give medical advice or prescribe treatment. The information has not been scientifically validated or approved by any government or regulatory agency. Please consult with your physician or other licensed health care professional for medical diagnosis, prescription, and treatment.