Tel Aviv, Aug 20 (IANS): An Israeli study said on Sunday that fungal infections could be cured using bacteria found in the soil.

The researchers tried using bacillus subtilis bacteria, which naturally secrete substances that inhibit candida growth, according to the study published by the Israel Institute of Technology "Technion," Xinhua reported.

The researchers developed a new model for drug therapy, which is a tiny "factory" where the bacteria inside it begin to produce the active substance.

The prevalence of fungal infections is on the rise due to the aging of the population, global warming and the increasing use of antibiotics.

The effectiveness of pills currently available for fungal infections is low due to side effects such as headaches and rash, and in some cases, life-threatening toxicity in the liver and kidneys.

The researchers hope that in the future it will be possible to use the new model to treat a variety of diseases including psoriasis, acne, inflammation and even cancer.