What is Tinea corporis or Ringworm?
It is a skin rash caused by Fungus. (Dermatophyte Fungus)
Ringworm is a fungal skin infection. (It is not due to a worm as its name implies!)
It’s usually a red, itchy, circular rash with clearer skin in the middle.
Tinea corporis, also known as ringworm of the body, tinea circinata, or simply ringworm, is a surface (superficial) fungal infection of the skin.
Ring worm is highly contagious.
What causes Ringworm -
A group of fungi called dermatophytes cause ringworm. Dermatophytes live off a substance called keratin, a tissue found in many parts of a person’s body, including the nails, skin, and hair. In ringworm of the body, the fungus infects the skin.
Ringworm of the body is also called tinea corporis after the specific dermatophyte, tinea. Other related ringworm fungal infections have similar names, including:
- tinea pedis, also Known as athlete’s foot.
- tinea cruris, also called as jock itch.
- tinea capitis, also called as ringworm of the scalp.
How tinea corporis / Ringworm spread?
Ringworm is a highly contagious fungal infection caused by common mold-like parasites dermatophytes that live on the cells in the outer layer of your skin. It can be spread in the following ways:
- Person to Person . Ringworm often spreads by direct, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.
- Animal to human. You can contract ringworm by touching an animal with ringworm. Ringworm can spread while petting or grooming dogs or cats. It’s also fairly common in cows.
- Object to human. It’s possible for ringworm to spread by contact with objects or surfaces that an infected person or animal has recently touched or rubbed against, such as clothing, towels, bedding and linens, combs, and brushes, lock and key.
- Soil to humans. In rare cases, ringworm can be spread to humans by contact with infected soil. Infection would most likely occur only from prolonged contact with highly infected soil.
Sign and Symptoms of Ringworm / Tinea corporis:-
Symptoms of ringworm of the body usually start about 4 to 10 days after contact with the fungus.
Signs and symptoms of ringworm may include:
- A scaly ring-shaped area, typically on the buttocks,neck, trunk, arms, and legs
- Itching over the rash.
- A clear or scaly area inside the ring, perhaps with a scattering of red bumps.
- Slightly raised, expanding rings.
- A round, flat patch of itchy skin.
- Overlapping rings.
Factor That increase ringworm /tinea corporis infection-
- living in damp or humid areas. (Rainy season)
- excessive sweating in groin area.
- participating in contact sports.
- wearing tight clothing like jeans
- having a weak immune system.
- sharing clothing, bedding, or towels with others.
Treatment of Ringworm / Tinea corporis ?
The major problem of treating taeniasis /ringworm is Recurrence. To prevent that,it is very important to take complete course of antifungal treatment.
1. Antifungal Medicines / Tablets.-
a. In initial days of infection we will start with Fluconazole 150mg once a week. Now a days dose of Fluconazole150 mg is three days a week for four weeks.
b. Terbinaforce 250mg daily one tab for 1week.
c.tab- Griseofulvin 250mg Three times a day for 21 days.
d.tab- Ketoconazole 200mg once daily for 4weeks.( This drug is not using now a days because of risk for severe liver injury, adrenal insufficiency, and drug interactions.
In resistance cases-
e. Tab- Itraconazole 100mg/200mg once a day at night for 3 months. ( It is very very effective).
2. Antifungal Ointments / Cream-
There are various types of creams in the market you can use one of them or with combinations-
(Avoid Topical Steroid for better results)
- Clotrimazole: apply 2–3 times a day for at least four weeks.
- Miconazole: apply twice a day and continue for 10 days after the skin is back to normal.
- Econazole: apply twice a day until the skin is back to normal.
- Ketoconazole: apply once or twice a day and continue for a few days after the skin is back to normal. Cannot be used for children.
- Terbinafine: apply once or twice a day for one to two weeks. Cannot be used for children.
- or skin that is particularly inflamed, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream combined with a mild steroid cream. This would normally be used for no more than seven days. You may need to continue with an antifungal cream alone for a time afterwards.
- Use Candid powder in Groin,sweating area and intertigo area.
Recently Oint- Itraconazole and Oint-Luliconazole is in the trend because they are new salt and giving higher results than other topical antifungal creams.
Prevention Or General Advice-
1. Use loose cotton undergarments.Avoid Non absorbents cloths.
2.Take full course even if leison subside within a week.
3. Boil all undercloths at the end of the treatment.
4.Try not to scratch the rash, as this may spread the fungus to other areas of your body.
5. Avoid contact with infected person.
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