Skin and surfaces

Meet a bacterium and two fungi. Learn why presence, overgrowth, and infection are different ideas.

Carried without harm

Staph can be found on skin and in the nose without causing infection. Read when its context changes.

A yeast in context

Candida can live on body surfaces; symptoms arise in particular overgrowth or infection settings.

A dermatophyte

Compare this human-associated skin and nail fungus with the Candida yeast. Where does the source describe T. rubrum infection?

Quick check 1

Which bacterium can be carried on skin or in the nose without causing harm?

Answer: Staphylococcus aureus

Option: Candida albicans

Option: Trichophyton rubrum

CDC says S. aureus is commonly carried on skin and in the nose; carriage does not itself mean infection.

Quick check 2

Despite its name, what causes ringworm?

Option: A parasitic worm

Answer: Fungi

Option: Staphylococcus aureus

CDC identifies ringworm as a fungal infection of skin, scalp, or nails. The name does not indicate a worm.

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