Page 210 - Big Ideas Year 10 sciPAD 2025

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210 SCIPAD - BIG IDEAS - BOOK 2
LIFE OF MICROBES
Common Fungal Diseases
Fungi in the genus Trichophyton cause a disease we call
"athlete’s foot", an infection affecting the skin (especially
between the toes).
This parasitic fungus causes scaling, flaking, itching of
affected areas and, in severe cases, swelling that may
require amputation of the entire foot.
Trichophyton is commonly found in moist areas where
people walk barefoot, such as showers or changing
rooms. Once on the skin, the warm, moist environment
inside shoes helps the fungus to thrive.
Botrytis cinerea (commonly referred to simply as Botrytis
or grey mould) is a fungus that infects fruit, particularly
grapes, strawberries and tomatoes.
Botrytis needs moisture to grow, and will reproduce
quickly at temperatures above 18°C. Fruit can become
spoiled in just a matter of hours.
Warm environments, such as those found in greenhouses,
provide ideal growing conditions, especially if watering
leaves moisture on the plants, or plants are placed too
closely together to allow for efficient ventilation.
1. Outline two environmental conditions found within your shoes that promote the growth of
the fungi responsible for athlete's foot.
(a) 
(b) 
2. Describe two steps that could be taken to prevent the growth of the fungi responsible for
athlete's foot.
(a) 
(b) 
3. Describe two steps that could be taken to prevent the transmission of the fungi responsible
for athlete's foot.
(a) 
(b) 
4. Outline the environmental conditions found inside greenhouses that promote the growth
of Botrytis. 


5. Describe how a greenhouse manager could try to minimise the growth and transmission of
Botrytis without altering the temperature within the greenhouse. 




Trichophyton Botrytis
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