The term ringworm does not refer to any kind of worm but a type of skin infection that is caused due to fungal activity. Otherwise known as dermatophytosis, this infection can affect human skin mainly in the scalp region, groin area and feet. The medical term used for this dermatophytosis is tinea, which means ‘growing worm’ in Latin. The infections on the skin of your body, scalp region, groin area and feet are known as tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis respectively. Dermatophytosis can be cured easily with or without consulting a doctor.

Signs and symptoms: The most common symptoms of dematophytosis are:

-Red, itchy, raised patches on the skin with sharp and defined edges. These patches may blister or ooze depending on the cause of the infection.
-Bald patches as the fungi infect the beard or scalp.
-Thick nails that eventually crumble or fall off if infected.

Transmission: Ringworm can be seen in people of all ages, but mostly in children. It is contagious and hence can pass from one person to another person (antrophilic) through contacts of infected body parts or by sharing combs or brushes or clothes or any other personal items. Sharing the same swimming pool or locker room can also cause spreading of this infection. Thus, dermatophytosis in groin area is called jock itch and in the feet is called athlete’s foot disease. Apart from human beings, ringworm can also be seen in cats and dogs from where it can be transmitted to other person (zoophilic).

Cause: Though a number of different species of fungi can cause this infection, Dermatophytes of genera Trichophyton and Microsporum are the most common causative agents. The general behavior of fungi is to live in moist warm areas. So it lives in tanning beds, dirty pools and even in skin folds. Some of the fungi living in our body are helpful while the others multiply rapidly and forms infection. Ringworm is said to occur when a particular type of fungus grows and multiplies in our body parts. Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton interdigitale, and/or Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, and Epidermophyton floccosum are the names of most common fungi that cause dermatophytosis.

Treatment: In most cases, treatment of ring worm can easily be done within a month without seeing a doctor.

The few ways of treating this infection are:

-The infected skin should be kept dry and clean so that no fungus can thrive there.
-Antifungal creams and powders containing miconazole, clotrimazole, ketoconazole etc should be applied.
-While infected, clothes and bed sheets should be kept clean.

If the condition is severe, then one should consult a dermatologist. Antifungal pills or other skin medication may be prescribed. Whatever be the case, do not ignore your problem with ring worm because if it aggravates, it can really irritate your skin and although it does not cause any fatal injury it can still be very annoying to get ring worm on your body. If the symptoms still persists even after applying medication for a week, you must consult your physician.

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