Classic symptoms of ringworm in cats include skin lesions that typically appear on the head, ears and forelimbs. Ringworm can cause flaky bald patches that sometimes look red in the center. In mild cases, there may be localized areas of redness or simply dandruff, while more severe infections can spread over a catâs entire body. Itâs also possible for a pet to carry ringworm spores and not show any symptoms whatsoever.
A cat can get ringworm directly through contact with an infected animal-or indirectly through contact with bedding, dishes and other materials that have been contaminated with the skin cells or hairs of infected animals. Ringworm spores are notoriously hardy and can survive in the environment for more than a year. And by the way, we are talking about domestic cats not the napping leopard in the image above!
Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a type of fungus called a âdermatophyte.â The common name âringwormâ comes from the look of the infected skin. There is often a pink, scaling area of skin with a clear center and a well-defined edge, giving the appearance of a ring. In order to find the proper cure for ringworm, one needs to have a little bit of background about the opponent.
Dermatophytes like to grow in warm, moist areas. âAthleteâs foot,â for example, is a fungal infection that occurs around and between the toes. âJock itchâ is a fungal infection of the upper, inner thighs and the groin. Fungal infections can occur anywhere on skin, including the scalp, fingernails and toenails.
Greetings Readers! Another great guest article about how wrestling is a sport where ringworm often gets passed along and the importance of knowing how to cure ringworm. Thanks, MaryAnn!
Communicable diseases, skin diseases, in particular, are a threat to wrestlers because of constant skin-to-skin contact and repeated minor abrasions. Skin diseases can sweep through a team unless the wrestlers are monitored and treated effectively. Preventative measures are of primary importance and require the cooperation of each wrestler, and very close observation of each coach. Skin diseases can not only hinder a wrestler but also cause him to be disqualified from competition.
The term ringworm is a complete misnomer since the condition is caused by fungi of several different species and not at all by parasitic worms. The name was adopted due to the shape of the infection and had no basis in science. The fungi that cause parasitic infection (dermatophytes) feed on keratin, the material found in the outer layer of skin, hair, and nails but are certainly not worms. These fungi thrive on skin that is warm and moist, but may also survive directly on the outsides of hair shafts or in their interiors. In pets, the fungus responsible for the disease survives in skin and on the outer surface of hairs.
Ringworm infections have been prevalent since before 1906, at which time ringworm was treated with compounds of mercury or sometimes sulfur or iodine. Hairy areas of skin were considered too difficult to treat, so the scalp was treated with x-rays and followed up with anti-parasitic medication. Modern science has allowed us to figure out that a simple anti-fungal topical solution is more than sufficient to treat even the most irritating infections.
Many children attending elementary schools are infected with a fungus that is the leading cause of ringworm in the U.S., a new study shows. The finding comes from a study of 10,514 children in kindergarten through fifth grade in 44 schools in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Researchers found that almost 7% of children were infected on their scalps with Trichophyton tonsurans, a fungus that is the leading cause of ringworm in the U.S. Researchers say the study, the largest of its kind aimed at defining infection prevalence of kids in metro areas, has implications for children across the country.
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