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/conditions/articles/ringworm/causes

Ringworm

Causes of ringworm

[Original article on NHS Choices website]

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus.

Ringworm is caused by fungi called dermatophytes, which live off keratin. Keratin is a tough, waterproof tissue found in many parts of the body, including the skin, nails and hair.

This is why ringworm infections mostly affect the skin, nails or scalp.

How ringworm spreads

The fungi are tiny spores tough enough to survive for months on your skin, in soil or on household objects, such as combs or towels. The spores can be spread in four different ways:

human-to-human contact
human-to-animal contact – for example, by stroking an infected dog or cat
human-to-object contact – both animals and humans can leave traces of fungi spores on objects and surfaces, such as towels, clothing, bed linen, combs or brushes
human-to-soil contact – less commonly, you can develop a ringworm infection after lengthy exposure to infected soil

As an adult, you can become a carrier of scalp ringworm without developing any symptoms. This is because your body has usually developed a defence against the infection by the time you reach adulthood.

If you are a carrier of a ringworm infection, you can unknowingly pass the condition onto children, who may then go on to develop symptoms.

Risk groups

You are more likely to develop ringworm if you:

are very young or very old
are African-Caribbean (in the case of scalp ringworm)
have type 1 diabetes
are very overweight (obese)
have a medical condition that weakens your immune system, such as HIV or AIDS
are receiving medical treatment that weakens your immune system, such as chemotherapy or steroid tablets
have had fungal infections in the past
have hardening of your arteries (atherosclerosis)
have poor circulation (specifically a condition called venous insufficiency, where the veins in your legs have trouble moving blood back to your heart)

Useful Links

Published Date: 2013-09-18 10:57:30Z
Last Review Date: 2013-03-14 00:00:00Z
Next Review Date: 2015-03-14 00:00:00Z

Classification: Ringworm

Ringworm – NHS Choices

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Ringworm

Introduction

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Types of ringworm

There are different names for ringworm that affects different parts of the body. For example:

fungal nail infection – when it affects the nails
athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) – when it develops on the feet
jock itch (tinea cruris) – when it affects the groin

Read more about the symptoms of ringworm and watch a slideshow (above) about common skin conditions.

Look after your skin

Benefit your skin by stopping smoking, plus how to protect your skin against sun damage and more

Ringworm is a common and highly infectious skin infection that causes a ring-like red rash on the skin.

The rash can appear almost anywhere on the body, with the scalp, feet and groin being common sites.

The condition, medically known as “tinea”, isn’t serious and is usually easily treated using creams sold by the pharmacy. However, ringworm is highly contagious and easily spread among people.

Despite its name, it doesn’t have anything to do with worms. It’s an infection of the skin caused by a fungus.

When to see a doctor

You need to see your GP if you or your child have ringworm of the scalp. This type of ringworm is treated with antifungal tablets only available on prescription.

Other types of ringworm are generally treated with antifungal cream from the pharmacy and you don’t need to see a doctor unless the infection persists. However, pharmacists often prefer children to see a GP to confirm a diagnosis.

How do you get ringworm?

Ringworm is passed between people through direct skin contact and by sharing objects such as towels, hairbrushes and bedding.

Pets such as dogs and cats can have ringworm, which they can pass on to people they come into contact with.

Who is affected?

Ringworm is common. It’s estimated that 10-20% of people will have a fungal skin infection at some point during their lifetime.

People of all ages can be affected by ringworm, but children are particularly susceptible to it.

Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis) is most common in children who have not reached puberty (sexual maturity), particularly African-Caribbean children and those who live in urban areas.

Body ringworm can affect anyone of any age, although groin infections are more common in young men.

Treating ringworm

Most cases of ringworm are mild and can be treated using a pharmacy antifungal cream.

Scalp ringworm can be treated with antifungal tablets, sometimes combined with antifungal shampoo.

Sometimes, if ringworm leaves the skin irritated or broken it can lead to other bacterial infections, which may need treatment with antibiotics.

Stopping it spreading

It’s really important, where possible, to prevent spreading the infection. You should avoid sharing towels, bedding or clothes with anyone diagnosed with ringworm.

If you think your pet has ringworm, take it to the vet. If your pet is treated quickly, you will be less likely to catch the infection from it.

If your child has ringworm, they do not need to stay off school. However, you should inform the school your child has the condition. In addition to treatment, your child should maintain a good level of personal hygiene to prevent the infection spreading.

Read more about how to stop the spread of ringworm.

Page last reviewed: 14/03/2013

Next review due: 14/03/2015