First this disease is cause by a fungus called Tinea affecting the skin in different body regions and it is not in fact due to a worm as the name said but this naming is due to the early belief that these skin scraping seen due to such infection is due to a worm.
This is a disease usually caused due to transmission of the fungus from one infected person to another either by direct skin contact or by using self care tools like combs brushes or even wearing clothes of one another also it may be transmitted through swimming pools or even through pets which can host the fungus topically and infect humans.
Types of ringworm infections
Briefly I will come through the different types of Tinea and they are classified according to the region where they grow on the skin but they all have almost the same appearance which are skin scrapping rashes areas of different colors.
1) Tinea barbae: This type affect the beard area
2) Tinea capiris: This type affect the scalp
3) Tinea corporis: This type affect different body areas including the abdomen , the back, the arms , the legs
4) Tnea cruris :This type affect the groin area going down on the thigh
5) Tinea manus: this type affect the palms and the fingers of the hands
6) Tinea pedis : This type affect the foot and the region in between the toes
7) Tinea unguium L this type grows under the nails specially those of the toes causing them to be yellowish and thick
The diagnoses of ringworm infection can done first by examining the skin as the location and the appearance of the scrapings on the skin can obviously ensure that it is a ring worm infection if its not clear culture from the infected skin can be made which will ensure that there is a fungal infection.
Treatment of this type of infections is usually done administration both topical and systemic anti-fungal treatment simultaneously.
1) Topical anti-fungal preparations : These are in the form of creams or solutions containingof these active constituents clotrimazole, econazole , miconazole, or ketoconazole these preparations must be used for one two weeks to be effective in treatment
2) Systemic anti-fungal treatment : These are used when the topical anti-fungal preparations are not effective due to the location of the disease specially in case of scalp and nails infections the most commonly used medication in the past was greisofolvin tablets but now there are more safer and more eeffective medications used which include Itraconazole and Fluconazole
Sometimes combination of both topical and systemic treatment is necessary to completely resolve the problem but the most important step of treatment is the precise and correct diagnosis as the ringworm infections may be mistaken with other skin infections so the correct diagnosis lead to the proper way of treatment and faster curing of the disease
For prevention of ringworm infection we can avoid excessive sweating and moisturizing of the skin as the moisture on the surface of the skin allows the growth of the fungi also avoiding the use of others self care tools and clothes.
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