Ringworm

Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection that can affect the nails, feet, scalp, body, and in particular, the groin area.

The fungus that causes ringworm can be found in humans, animals, and soil, depending on the type of ringworm your child has. Characteristic of ringworm is a red ring rash on the patient's skin. Read more on ringworm, below:

Ringworm on the scalp begins with a pimple that becomes abnormally large and leaves scaly patches that cause temporary baldness. Hairs infected with ringworm becomes brittle and break off easily and crusty, yellow areas may develop. Ringworm of the body shows up anywhere on the body except for the scalp and feet as a round, flat patch. The most common form of ringworm, which is ringworm of the groin, appears as a rash that expands and then the center will clear, forming a ring. There may also be many rings that overlap and become itchy. Ringworm of the foot, most commonly known as athlete's foot appears as scaly or cracking skin between the toes. Ringworm of the nails causing the nails to become discolored and brittle, thick, chalky and even sometimes disintegrate.

Symptoms of scalp ringworm appear after 10-14 days of initial contact. Ringworm of the skin takes about 4-10 days to appear. All of the other forms of ringworm do not have a known time for how long it takes symptoms to appear after initial contact.

A physician can diagnose ringworm by examining the site of infection with special tests formulated to pinpoint which kind of fungi is responsible. Ringworm is treated with fungi-killing medicine in the forms of pills, liquids or creams. Prevention of ringworm is difficult, because the fungus is common and contagious even before symptoms appear.

Yes, ringworm is contagious. Is it spread by direct or indirect contact with someone or something that has ringworm. That includes skin to skin contact with an infected person or pet, or contact with a surface or an object that an infected person or pet has touched. In rare cases, it can be contracted from soil.