Ringworm of the Body

Symptoms

Round pink patch
Clearing of the center as the patch grows
Raised, rough, scaly border
Usually ½ to 1 inch (12 -25 mm) in size
Ring slowly increases in size
Mildly itchy

Cause

A fungus infection of the skin. It is not caused by a worm.
Can often be spread to humans from puppies or kittens who have it
Rarely, can be spread human-to-human. It requires direct skin contact to be passed this way. An exception is that an epidemic from ringworm can occur among wrestlers. This is because of close body contact during matches.
Sometimes, caused by fungus in the soil.

Prevention of Recurrent Ringworm

Avoid contact with infected pets until they are treated by a vet.

Overview:

Ringworm is a fungus infection of the skin.
Often it's caught from puppies or kittens that have it.
Here is some care advice that should help.

Antifungal Cream:

Use Lamisil, Micatin or Lotrimin cream 2 times per day. No prescription is needed.
Put it on the rash and 1 inch (2.5 cm) beyond its borders.
Continue the cream for at least 7 days after the rash is cleared.

What to Expect:

It goes away in 3 to 4 weeks.
If it comes back, suspect the household puppy or kitten.
Take your animal to the vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Return to School:

Your child doesn't have to miss any child care or school for ringworm.
Sometimes, ringworm of the skin can be passed on to others. It requires direct skin-to-skin contact.
The pet type cannot be spread from your child to other children. It is only passed from animal to human.
After 48 hours of treatment, ringworm does not spread to others at all
Can return to wrestling after 3 days of treatment. Continue treatment until gone.

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