Ringworm

1. Ringworm • Key Points of this PowerPoint: • What is a ringworm • What causes a ringworm • How to prevent the ringworm • How ringworm is treated A ringworm on the back. This is a quiet bad case. A ringworm a the calf. This is not such a severe case. By Junedh Amrute

2. What is a ringworm? • A ringworm is not at all a worm but it is a fungal disease. A ringworm does not only affect skin but also affects nails and scalps. • A ringworm is also know as tinea, Tinea comes from a mould-like group of fungi called dermatophytes. • Ringworm of the skin starts as a red, scaly patch or bump. Ringworm tends to be very itchy and uncomfortable. Over time, it may begin to look like a ring or a series of rings with raised, bumpy, scaly borders. This ring is not developed in every person. • When ringworm affects the feet it's known as athlete's foot, and the rash, which is usually between a person's toes, appears patchy. The rashes a person gets with athlete's foot and jock itch may not look like rings at all, because they may look like red scaly circle patches. • Ringworm of the nails may affect one or more nails on a person's hands or feet. The nails may become thick, white or yellowish, and brittle. Ringworm of the nails is not too common before puberty. • This is a type of fungal infection which can be treated and this fungus does not bleed or let out any liquids. • Ringworm occurs in children most commonly between 3 – 7 years old and more commonly in boys than girls. Ringworm is caught from contact with a person already infected, from living in crowded conditions, from cats and dogs, or from touching something that the infected person or animal has touched. Though it is rare, ringworm can also be picked up from the soil. • Ringworm appears around 4-14 days after first contact with the fungus. It should clear within a month of being treated. • Tinea or ringworm also causes `jock itch’ in the groin of adolescent boys and men, and athletes foot which traditionally shows up between the toes.

3. The Dermatophytosis • Dermatophytosis (tinea or ringworm) of the scalp, glabrous skin, and nails is caused by a closely related group of fungi known as dermatophytes which have the ability to utilize keratin as a nutrient source, i.e. they have a unique enzymatic capacity. • The disease process in Dermatophytosis is unique for two reasons: Firstly, no living tissue is invaded the keratinized stratum corneum is simply colonized. However, the presence of the fungus and its metabolic products usually induces an allergic and inflammatory eczematous response in the host. • The type and severity of the host response is often related to the species and strain of dermatophytes causing the infection. Secondly, the dermatophytes are the only fungi that have evolved a dependency on human or animal infection for the survival and dissemination of their species.

4. Facts and figures on the type of ringworm

5. What are the symptoms of ringworm? • Small round/oval scaly patches in the hair or on the body – may first look like a pimple • Rough, reddened borders to the circle with white patch inside • The outer rim of circle is made up of little bumps • On the scalp the hair over the ringworm may be missing, broken or short • In severe cases the ringworm patch can be inflamed and crusted • Risk & complications of ringworm • If you have a pet in your household, your children are at increased risk of contracting ringworm. • If ringworm is not properly treated it can persist and cause an infection that is hard to get rid of • It can easily be spread to other parts of the body and to other people • Development of secondary skin infections, which will need to be treated by your doctor . • Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Dermatophytosis • Are there any tests needed to diagnose the condition?What is the cause of the condition?What treatment will you be recommending?Will you be prescribing any medication? • What are the side effects?How long should it take to clear up the skin infection?Is this infection contagious? • What needs to be done to prevent this from spreading?

6. What causes a ringworm? • One of the many things that leads to a ringworm is lack of hygiene • Ringworm is caused by several different fungus organisms that all belong to a group called Dermatophyte. • The sharing of food or clothes can also cause a ringworm because if the object being shared already has some fungus on it then the spores will spread and grow onto you're body • The other reason that causes the ringworm is if you have pets in the house, because sometimes the pets can get fleas. What are the solutions after getting the ringworm? • Teach your child good hygiene – regular hand washing, not sharing clothes or combs • Ensure your pet receives treatment for ringworm • Keep your child away from the pet while both are being treated • Teach your children to always wash their hands after touching animals • Teach your child not to kiss pets and never to handle animal faces • Keep animals healthy • Keep animals out of bedrooms and off beds and furniture • Tea tree oil is a good all-round preventative for fungal type conditions – add it to bathwater, to the clothes wash and use it when washing animals Animals that can pass ringworm to humans include:Cats – especially kittens • Dogs – especially puppies • Horses • Goats • Pigs • Cows

7. How to prevent a ringworm? • The most common sources of the fungi that cause tinea infections are other people. Ringworm is contagious and is easily spread from one person to another, so avoid touching an infected area on another person. It's also possible to become infected from contact with animals, like cats and dogs. •  It can be difficult to avoid ringworm because the dermatophyte fungi are very common. To protect yourself against infection, it can help to wear flip-flops on your feet in the shower or at the pool and also at other public places, and to wash sports clothing regularly. Because fungi are on your skin, it's important to shower after contact sports and to wash your hands often, especially after touching pets. •  For the fungi to reproduce and spread they release spores, and these spores go into the air trying to find a new place to grow. So try and keep all your clothes as clean as possible and also try and keep your bed clean and if you have pets make sure they stay off the bed. • Don’t share clothes, food or any other equipment with other people and make sure that you don’t get dry patches on your body because this will help the growth of the fungus. Try and apply moisturisers to your skin often to avoid dryness. • The skin should be kept dry, since moist skin favors the growth of fungi. Dry the skin carefully after bathing and let it dry before dressing. Loose-fitting underwear is recommended. Socks should be changed daily. Sandals or open-toed shoes may be beneficial. Talc or other drying powders may also be helpful. • Keep your skin clean and dry. Change your socks and underwear at least once a day. • Wear loose-fitting cotton clothing. Avoid tight underwear, pants, and panty hose. • Always dry yourself completely after showers or baths. After drying your skin with a towel, allow your skin to air-dry before putting your clothes on. You can also use a hair dryer, set on a cool setting, to dry your skin. • Do not share clothing, sports equipment, towels, or sheets. If you think you have been exposed to ringworm , wash your clothes in hot water with fungus-killing (fungicidal) soap. • Wear slippers or sandals in locker rooms, showers, and public bathing areas. • Shower and shampoo thoroughly after any sport that requires skin-to-skin contact. • If you have athlete's foot , put your socks on before your underwear so that fungi do not spread from your feet to your groin. Also, when toweling off after a shower or bath, dry your feet last. • Take your pet to a veterinarian if it has patches of missing hair, which may be a sign of a fungal infection. Household pets can spread fungi that cause ringworm in people.

8. How is a ringworm treated? • Ringworm is fairly easy to diagnose and treat. Doctors usually can diagnose ringworm based on how it looks, but sometimes will scrape off a small sample of the flaky infected skin to test for fungus. • If you do have ringworm, your doctor will recommend an antifungal medication. A topical ointment or cream usually takes care of skin infections, but ringworm of the scalp or nails requires oral antifungal medication. Your doctor will decide which treatment is best for you • To treat this ringworm issue you need to stay as clean as possible and also avoid contact with pets or other animals, and also take a bath regularly. • To treat the ringworm in a medical way you can apply various natural creams such as Aloe Vera and also use moisturisers, which contain a chemical which can help kill the fungus. Since this fungus grows in dry areas and can also spread easily you must take very good care of it as it can be a harm in the future to your self and other people around you.  • See your doctor • Application of antifungal cream to treat or cure the ringworm • Scalp ringworm rash may also require an oral antifungal medication • Wash pyjamas and bedclothes daily while your child is being treated

9. The End Ringworm on the face . This has spread some what and needs to be treated as it is very large. Ringworm on the stomach . This has spread a lot and needs immediate attention because it is dark red and has spread very rapidly.

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY Website; http://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/Topics/Health/Skin+Rashes+Conditions/Ringworm.html Website; www.wikipedia.org Website; www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001439.htm • Website; • www.medicinenet.com › ... › skin az list › ringworm index • Website; • www.medicinenet.com › ... › skin az list › ringworm index