Posts Tagged ‘pregancy’

The term tinea corporis is the medical term for ringworm, which refers to round or oval red scaly patches on the skin.  They are often seen to be less red and scaly in the middle or even look healed at the center.  It is common for one ring to develop inside another preexisting ring. Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus that can affect the scalp, skin, fingers, toenails or feet.

Tinea corporis pregnancy concern is that women of childbearing age are more likely to develop tinea corporis as a result of their greater frequency of contact with infected children. Children are particularly vulnerable to tinea corporis infection and can pass it effortlessly to other children.  Adults are not immune and can also become infected.  Tinea corporis occurs in both men and women.  Persons who fall in the high risk category are farmers and people who work with animals that have fur.

Tinea corporis is contagious. The condition can be contracted if you come into direct contact with someone who is infected, or if you touch contaminated items. Tinea corporis (ringworm) is the name used for superficial skin infections of the trunk, legs or arms of a dermatophyte fungus. Dermatophytes are a group of related fungi that infect and live on the top layer of the epidermis.  Dermatophyte infections do not result in significant mortality, but they can greatly affect quality of life.

There are three groups of fungi that cause skin infection of this type and can be categorized according to their preferred host sources, geophile or fungi from soil sources, zoophile or fungi from animals, anthropophile or fungi from humans

The fungi transmitted primarily through contact with animals or zoophile is usually responsible for tinea corporis contagious infection.  It is usually transmitted through contact with animals such as dogs, cats, calves, hamsters, and guinea pigs.

Acute tinea corporis appears as itchy inflamed red patches that may be pustular.  Chronic tinea corporis is more likely to be found in sweaty body folds.  Acute tinea corporis has a tendency to be hard to treat and will more than likely recur.

Tinea corporis may arrive with a sudden onset and then spread rapidly.  Or it could be chronic which is a slow broadening of a mild, minimally inflamed, rash.  It affects exposed areas but could also spread from other infected sites. Non-fungal conditions that resemble tinea corporis include impetigo, Seborrhoeic dermatitis, Psoriasis, Discoid eczema, Lichen simplex, Contact allergic dermatitis and Pityriasis rosea.