What are the key differences between ringworm and Candida infections. How can you identify these common fungal infections. What are the most effective treatments for ringworm and Candida. How can you prevent fungal infections in everyday life.

The Basics of Fungal Infections: Ringworm and Candida Explained

Fungal infections are a common concern for many people, with ringworm and Candida being two of the most prevalent types. While both are caused by fungi, they have distinct characteristics and affect different parts of the body. Understanding these differences is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Ringworm, despite its name, is not caused by worms but by a group of fungi called dermatophytes. These fungi can infect the skin, hair, and nails. On the other hand, Candida is a type of yeast that naturally exists in our bodies but can cause infections when it overgrows.

Key Differences Between Ringworm and Candida

• Causative organism: Ringworm is caused by dermatophytes, while Candida is a yeast
• Affected areas: Ringworm typically affects the skin, scalp, and nails, while Candida can affect various mucous membranes and moist areas of the body
• Appearance: Ringworm often presents as a ring-shaped rash, while Candida infections can appear as white, cheesy patches or red, scaly rashes

Recognizing Ringworm: Symptoms and Affected Areas

Ringworm can manifest in various forms depending on the affected body part. It’s essential to recognize the symptoms early for prompt treatment.

Common Types of Ringworm Infections

• Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis): Affects the feet, especially between toes
• Jock itch (tinea cruris): Occurs in the groin area
• Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis): Affects the scalp and can cause hair loss
• Nail infections: Can cause discoloration and thickening of nails
• Body ringworm: Appears on the trunk, arms, or legs

Ringworm typically starts as a small, scaly patch or sore that spreads outward, forming a ring-like pattern. The center of the ring may appear clear or scaly, and the edges are usually red and raised. Itching and burning sensations are common symptoms.

Is ringworm always itchy. While itching is a common symptom of ringworm, not all infections cause intense itching. Some people may experience mild discomfort or no itching at all.

Candida Infections: Diverse Manifestations and Symptoms

Candida infections, also known as candidiasis, can occur in various parts of the body. The symptoms and appearance of these infections can differ significantly depending on the affected area.

Common Types of Candida Infections

• Oral thrush: White, lacy patches on the tongue and inside of the mouth
• Vaginal yeast infections: Characterized by itching, burning, and a white, cheesy discharge
• Skin infections: Often occur in warm, moist areas like skin folds under the breasts or in the groin
• Nail bed infections: Can cause discoloration and separation of the nail from the bed

Candida infections on the skin typically appear as red, flat rashes with scalloped edges. These rashes may be accompanied by smaller satellite lesions nearby. In some cases, particularly in men, Candida can cause bumps on the scrotum.

Can Candida infections occur in anyone. Yes, Candida infections can affect people of all ages and genders. However, certain factors such as weakened immune systems, diabetes, or prolonged use of antibiotics can increase the risk of developing a Candida infection.

Transmission and Risk Factors for Fungal Infections

Understanding how fungal infections spread is crucial for prevention. Both ringworm and Candida can be transmitted in various ways, and certain factors can increase the risk of infection.

How Ringworm Spreads

• Direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or animal
• Contact with contaminated objects such as towels, clothing, or sports equipment
• Walking barefoot in public areas like locker rooms or swimming pools

Risk Factors for Candida Overgrowth

• Weakened immune system
• Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics
• High sugar diet
• Hormonal imbalances
• Warm, humid environments

Do all fungal infections spread through direct contact. While many fungal infections, especially ringworm, can spread through direct contact, not all do. Candida infections, for instance, often result from an overgrowth of naturally occurring yeast in the body rather than from external transmission.

Effective Treatments for Ringworm and Candida Infections

The treatment of fungal infections typically involves antifungal medications. The choice of treatment depends on the type of infection, its severity, and the affected area.

Over-the-Counter Treatments

For mild to moderate infections, over-the-counter antifungal creams and lotions can be effective. Some common options include:

• Clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex)
• Miconazole (Desenex, Micatin)
• Terbinafine (Lamisil)

These topical treatments are often suitable for both ringworm and Candida infections affecting the skin. However, if symptoms persist after a few weeks of treatment, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional.

Prescription Treatments

For more severe or persistent infections, prescription medications may be necessary. These can include:

• Stronger topical antifungals like ciclopirox (Loprox)
• Oral antifungal medications for widespread or internal infections
• Medicated shampoos for scalp ringworm

How long does it take for antifungal treatments to work. The duration of treatment can vary depending on the type and severity of the infection. Some skin infections may clear up within a few weeks, while nail infections can take several months to resolve completely. It’s important to follow the prescribed treatment regimen even if symptoms improve.

Prevention Strategies: Keeping Fungal Infections at Bay

Preventing fungal infections is often easier than treating them. By adopting certain habits and precautions, you can significantly reduce your risk of contracting or spreading these infections.

General Prevention Tips

• Keep skin clean and dry, especially in areas prone to sweating
• Wear breathable fabrics and avoid tight-fitting clothes in warm weather
• Don’t share personal items like towels, combs, or nail clippers
• Wear flip-flops or sandals in public showers and locker rooms
• Maintain good hygiene practices, including regular handwashing

Specific Prevention for Athletes and Active Individuals

Athletes and those engaged in regular physical activities are at higher risk for fungal infections. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has issued guidelines to help prevent skin diseases, including fungal infections:

1. Shower immediately after practices and competitions
2. Use a clean towel and clean clothes after each shower
3. Wash workout clothes and uniforms after each use
4. Regularly clean and disinfect sports equipment
5. Report any skin lesions to a healthcare provider promptly

Can dietary changes help prevent fungal infections. While diet alone may not prevent all fungal infections, maintaining a balanced diet low in sugar and rich in probiotics can help support a healthy immune system and reduce the risk of Candida overgrowth.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Fungal Infections

While many fungal infections can be treated with over-the-counter remedies, there are instances where professional medical care is necessary. Recognizing these situations is crucial for effective management of the infection.

Signs That Indicate the Need for Medical Attention

• Persistent symptoms despite using over-the-counter treatments for several weeks
• Widespread or rapidly spreading infection
• Signs of secondary bacterial infection, such as increased redness, swelling, or pus
• Fungal infections in individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions
• Recurring infections or infections that interfere with daily activities

Healthcare professionals can provide a definitive diagnosis, rule out other conditions, and prescribe more potent treatments if necessary. They may also offer guidance on preventing future infections.

Should you stop using over-the-counter treatments when seeking medical attention. It’s generally advisable to inform your healthcare provider about any treatments you’ve been using, but continue using them unless instructed otherwise. Your doctor may recommend continuing, changing, or stopping the current treatment based on their assessment.

The Impact of Fungal Infections on Quality of Life

While fungal infections are generally not life-threatening, they can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. Understanding these effects can emphasize the importance of prevention and prompt treatment.

Physical and Emotional Impacts

• Discomfort and pain: Itching, burning, and soreness can cause physical distress
• Aesthetic concerns: Visible infections may cause embarrassment or self-consciousness
• Sleep disturbances: Itching and discomfort can interfere with sleep quality
• Activity limitations: Infections may restrict participation in sports or other activities
• Social implications: Fear of spreading the infection may lead to social withdrawal

For athletes and active individuals, fungal infections can be particularly disruptive, potentially affecting performance and participation in sports or exercise routines.

Can fungal infections have long-term effects if left untreated. While most fungal infections don’t cause serious long-term effects, chronic or recurrent infections can lead to skin damage, scarring, or in rare cases, systemic infections. Prompt and appropriate treatment is key to preventing these complications.

By understanding the nature of fungal infections, their symptoms, and prevention strategies, individuals can take proactive steps to maintain their skin health. Remember, early recognition and treatment of fungal infections can significantly reduce discomfort and prevent complications. If you’re unsure about a skin condition or if symptoms persist, don’t hesitate to consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Ringworm or Candida: What’s the Difference?

Written by Kathleen Doheny

• Ringworm and Candida: What’s the Difference?
• Ringworm Facts
• Candida Facts
• Fungal Infection Treatments
• Preventing Fungal Infections

It can begin as a small sore, scaly skin, or a rash. Then it often spreads, itches, or burns.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you may have a fungal infection. The infections can affect anyone, but if you (or your children) play sports or are engaged regularly in other physical activities, your chance of contracting these is higher.

”Fungus is everywhere,” says Jeffrey Weinberg, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“It’s not just in the gym,” he says. It’s there, of course, but it’s also in school locker rooms, fine hotels, your house, and other places.

Knowing how to recognize a potential fungal skin infection early and what to do about it can minimize your misery.

Even if you’re just an everyday exerciser or a junior varsity member, you can take notes from the competitive athlete community. In 2010, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) issued its guidelines for skin disease prevention, including fungal infections.

It did so because of the number of outbreaks involving skin diseases, including fungal infections, among competitive athletes. More than half of all infectious disease outbreaks in competitive sports, from 1922 through 2004, involved skin diseases, the association found.

The NATA guidelines are aimed at reducing that toll. What works for them can also work for you.

WebMD also asked two dermatology experts for an update on what you should know about fungal skin infections. We zeroed in on two common culprits causing fungal skin infections — ringworm and Candida. Here’s what we found out.

Both types of infection are fungal, says Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. At their root are fungi, not the bacteria or viruses that cause other infections.

Technically speaking, “ringworm is a dermatophyte,” says Weinberg. A dermatophyte is simply a type of fungi that can cause skin, hair, or nail infections.

“Candida is a yeast,” says Weinberg. These fungi can cause infections on many areas of the body.

These fungal infections affect some of the same body parts but also different ones, Stein Gold tells WebMD. The appearance of the infections can differ, too.

Ringworm infections don’t involve worms, of course. These fungi are responsible for:

• Athlete’s foot, or tinea pedis
• Jock itch, also called tinea cruris
• Infections on the scalp and hair, or tinea capitis
• Nail infections
• Infections on the legs, arms, and trunk

You will usually notice itching. “When it starts out, it can be itchy and burning,” Stein Gold says of ringworm infections. There can be a ring-shaped rash. The center might be red, also, or could be normal skin color.

If on the scalp, this fungus can cause hair loss.

There can be scaly patches and inflammation.

Fungal infections sometimes attack the feet, between the toes. It can look ”mushy,” says Weinberg. Or, it can live on the side of the feet, giving the foot a moccasin type look, he says. Weinberg reports formerly serving as an investigator for Ortho Dermatologics.

The infection can be spread from another infected person, an object with fungi on it (such as a towel), or even your household pet.

Yeast infections, commonly caused by a group of fungi from the species Candida, can also affect many body parts. These organisms can cause infections when there is overgrowth. These infections can occur at many sites, including:

• The vagina
• The mouth, called oral thrush
• Skin, especially under skin folds such as under the breasts
• Nail beds
• Warm moist areas, such as the underarms

Women with a vaginal yeast infection often report a white, cheesy discharge. In the mouth, the infection shows up as thick, white lacy patches on the tongue.

On the skin, the infections are often a red, flat rash with scalloped edges. There are ”satellite” lesions nearby, Weinberg says. There can be pustules.

Men can be affected with yeast infections in the scrotum, Weinberg says. This infection often shows up as bumps.

Topical antifungal creams and lotions are often used, say Stein Gold and Weinberg. Some are over the counter, such as:

• Clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex)
• Miconazole (Desenex, Micatin)
• Terbinafine (Lamisil)

Often the same topical medicine will work for ringworm and yeast, Stein Gold tells WebMD. There’s usually no harm in trying over-the-counter remedies first for uncomplicated skin infections, she says. “If you use one of these OTC products for a few weeks and it’s not better, I’d certainly have it looked at,” Stein Gold says.

If the infection is extensive or persistent, you may need prescription medicines to treat it. Among these are prescription topicals such as ciclopirox (Loprox, Penlac), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and oxiconazole (Oxistat).

Oral antifungal medicines that may be prescribed include:

• Terbinafine (Lamisil)
• Fluconazole (Diflucan)
• Itraconazole (Sporanox)
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• Griseofulvin (Fulvicin P/G, Fulvicin U/F, Grifulvin V, Gris-Peg)

How long you take these medicines depends in part on how bad the infection is. Often, it is just a matter of weeks, Stein Gold says.

Nail infections may take longer to clear up than infections elsewhere, she says. For toenails, she says, three months of treatment is common. For fingernails, six weeks may be needed.

Prompt treatment is always a good idea, Stein Gold says. “Try to treat it early so it doesn’t spread,” she says. “Pay attention if you have burning, itching.”

If you have an underlying chronic medical condition, especially one that involves a suppressed immune system, it’s crucial to treat earlier than later.

You can follow some simple steps to reduce the risk of these fungal infections — or avoid a repeat, doctors say. Here are some prevention tips from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association:

• Keep the skin dry. “That really helps,” says Stein Gold. Fungi love warm, moist areas.
• Take your own instruments (available at beauty supply stores) to the nail salon. Be sure to sterilize the instruments between manicures and pedicures.
• Protect your nails. Doctors warn against cutting the cuticle or pushing it back too much. “It’s there to protect the nail from outside invasion,” Stein Gold says.
• Baby your feet. Wear white cotton socks. Some socks are made of ”wicking” material to reduce moisture.
• Start fresh. If you’ve had a bad athlete’s foot infection, toss your flip flops or shower shoes and replace them with a new, clean pair.
• Use foot powders if the fungi love your feet. “Keep your feet dry and cool,” Weinberg says.

Wash your workout clothes. Repeat wearing invites fungus. The same goes for socks, swimsuits, and sweaty T-shirts. Wear once, wash, repeat.

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Ringworm or Candida: What’s the Difference?

Written by Kathleen Doheny

• Ringworm and Candida: What’s the Difference?
• Ringworm Facts
• Candida Facts
• Fungal Infection Treatments
• Preventing Fungal Infections

It can begin as a small sore, scaly skin, or a rash. Then it often spreads, itches, or burns.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you may have a fungal infection. The infections can affect anyone, but if you (or your children) play sports or are engaged regularly in other physical activities, your chance of contracting these is higher.

”Fungus is everywhere,” says Jeffrey Weinberg, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“It’s not just in the gym,” he says. It’s there, of course, but it’s also in school locker rooms, fine hotels, your house, and other places.

Knowing how to recognize a potential fungal skin infection early and what to do about it can minimize your misery.

Even if you’re just an everyday exerciser or a junior varsity member, you can take notes from the competitive athlete community. In 2010, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) issued its guidelines for skin disease prevention, including fungal infections.

It did so because of the number of outbreaks involving skin diseases, including fungal infections, among competitive athletes. More than half of all infectious disease outbreaks in competitive sports, from 1922 through 2004, involved skin diseases, the association found.

The NATA guidelines are aimed at reducing that toll. What works for them can also work for you.

WebMD also asked two dermatology experts for an update on what you should know about fungal skin infections. We zeroed in on two common culprits causing fungal skin infections — ringworm and Candida. Here’s what we found out.

Both types of infection are fungal, says Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. At their root are fungi, not the bacteria or viruses that cause other infections.

Technically speaking, “ringworm is a dermatophyte,” says Weinberg. A dermatophyte is simply a type of fungi that can cause skin, hair, or nail infections.

“Candida is a yeast,” says Weinberg. These fungi can cause infections on many areas of the body.

These fungal infections affect some of the same body parts but also different ones, Stein Gold tells WebMD. The appearance of the infections can differ, too.

Ringworm infections don’t involve worms, of course. These fungi are responsible for:

• Athlete’s foot, or tinea pedis
• Jock itch, also called tinea cruris
• Infections on the scalp and hair, or tinea capitis
• Nail infections
• Infections on the legs, arms, and trunk

You will usually notice itching. “When it starts out, it can be itchy and burning,” Stein Gold says of ringworm infections. There can be a ring-shaped rash. The center might be red, also, or could be normal skin color.

If on the scalp, this fungus can cause hair loss.

There can be scaly patches and inflammation.

Fungal infections sometimes attack the feet, between the toes. It can look ”mushy,” says Weinberg. Or, it can live on the side of the feet, giving the foot a moccasin type look, he says. Weinberg reports formerly serving as an investigator for Ortho Dermatologics.

The infection can be spread from another infected person, an object with fungi on it (such as a towel), or even your household pet.

Yeast infections, commonly caused by a group of fungi from the species Candida, can also affect many body parts. These organisms can cause infections when there is overgrowth. These infections can occur at many sites, including:

• The vagina
• The mouth, called oral thrush
• Skin, especially under skin folds such as under the breasts
• Nail beds
• Warm moist areas, such as the underarms

Women with a vaginal yeast infection often report a white, cheesy discharge. In the mouth, the infection shows up as thick, white lacy patches on the tongue.

On the skin, the infections are often a red, flat rash with scalloped edges. There are ”satellite” lesions nearby, Weinberg says. There can be pustules.

Men can be affected with yeast infections in the scrotum, Weinberg says. This infection often shows up as bumps.

Topical antifungal creams and lotions are often used, say Stein Gold and Weinberg. Some are over the counter, such as:

• Clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex)
• Miconazole (Desenex, Micatin)
• Terbinafine (Lamisil)

Often the same topical medicine will work for ringworm and yeast, Stein Gold tells WebMD. There’s usually no harm in trying over-the-counter remedies first for uncomplicated skin infections, she says. “If you use one of these OTC products for a few weeks and it’s not better, I’d certainly have it looked at,” Stein Gold says.

If the infection is extensive or persistent, you may need prescription medicines to treat it. Among these are prescription topicals such as ciclopirox (Loprox, Penlac), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and oxiconazole (Oxistat).

Oral antifungal medicines that may be prescribed include:

• Terbinafine (Lamisil)
• Fluconazole (Diflucan)
• Itraconazole (Sporanox)
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• Griseofulvin (Fulvicin P/G, Fulvicin U/F, Grifulvin V, Gris-Peg)

How long you take these medicines depends in part on how bad the infection is. Often, it is just a matter of weeks, Stein Gold says.

Nail infections may take longer to clear up than infections elsewhere, she says. For toenails, she says, three months of treatment is common. For fingernails, six weeks may be needed.

Prompt treatment is always a good idea, Stein Gold says. “Try to treat it early so it doesn’t spread,” she says. “Pay attention if you have burning, itching.”

If you have an underlying chronic medical condition, especially one that involves a suppressed immune system, it’s crucial to treat earlier than later.

You can follow some simple steps to reduce the risk of these fungal infections — or avoid a repeat, doctors say. Here are some prevention tips from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association:

• Keep the skin dry. “That really helps,” says Stein Gold. Fungi love warm, moist areas.
• Take your own instruments (available at beauty supply stores) to the nail salon. Be sure to sterilize the instruments between manicures and pedicures.
• Protect your nails. Doctors warn against cutting the cuticle or pushing it back too much. “It’s there to protect the nail from outside invasion,” Stein Gold says.
• Baby your feet. Wear white cotton socks. Some socks are made of ”wicking” material to reduce moisture.
• Start fresh. If you’ve had a bad athlete’s foot infection, toss your flip flops or shower shoes and replace them with a new, clean pair.
• Use foot powders if the fungi love your feet. “Keep your feet dry and cool,” Weinberg says.

Wash your workout clothes. Repeat wearing invites fungus. The same goes for socks, swimsuits, and sweaty T-shirts. Wear once, wash, repeat.

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Ringworm | True friend

“Ringing lichen” or the scientific language of dermatophytosis is a common pathology in the practice of small pets (especially cats and dogs), the clinical picture of this disease is different. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to take an anamnesis, clinical examinations, and the most important and accurate diagnostic methods (instrumental and cultural) in this area. Treatment includes complex and local means.

The disease is a zoonosis (COMMON TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS!)

Dematophytosis refers to a group of infectious diseases that affect the upper layers of the skin, nails and hair. The causative agents are ascomycete molds of two genera: Microsporum and Trichophyton (keratin is used as a nutrient substrate). There are about 40 species, 4 species are most important in the practice of veterinary medicine:

• Microsporum Canis – affects the hair shaft, cats, dogs, cats, HUMAN, rodents are susceptible to the disease. Sick animals are the source of infection.
• Microsporum Gypseum – affects the hair shaft, dogs and cats get sick. The source of infection is the environment (inhabitant of the soil), animals that have access to the soil are infected.
• Microsporum Persicolor – affects the stratum corneum, dogs, cats, rodents get sick. The source of infection is sick animals (usually rodents).
• Trichophyton Mentagrophyton – affects the hair shaft, cats, dogs, HUMANS, rodents are susceptible to the disease. Source of infection – sick animals (more often rodents)

M. canis is more common, infection occurs through contact with affected areas of hair, skin, care items. The incubation period is 7-14 days. Fungal spores penetrate the hair follicle, arthrospores adhere strictly to keratin, increased skin moisture facilitates the penetration process.

CLINICAL SIGNS:

Local alopecia and peeling of varying severity, most often affected: muzzle, auricles, limbs. Itching varies from none at all to very severe.

Dogs often have classic rounded lesions with alopecia, scaling. The size of the bald patches is the larger, the faster the fungus multiplies. Sometimes a single tiny spot does not bother the dog for many years, and at the moment of weakening the immune system grows to an incredible size (in severe cases, complete baldness is possible). Keep in mind that a small bald spot is a source of infection! Spores are constantly showered from its surface, which can cause disease in other animals or humans. With trichophytosis, the symptoms are more noticeable. At first, the hair seems to break off at the base, and then falls out with the root. But sometimes fungi affect only the claws, in which case the owner does not notice the disease for a long time.

Cats : In the first phase, when the pathogen is just getting used to the skin, the signs of the disease are usually expressed by a skin rash, which is very difficult to detect under the long cat hair. You should pay attention to other alarming symptoms: increased activity and frequent scratching of a certain area. The animal clearly shows foci of baldness of a rounded shape (Fig. 3). The center of such foci is covered with scaly elements, and then begins to peel off.

CATS ARE CHARACTERISTIC FOR LONG-TERM SYMPTOMS!

Diagnosis:
Luminescent diagnosis with a Wood’s lamp (examination of affected lesions under ultraviolet radiation) – in positive cases, a characteristic yellow-green glow is observed (Fig. 4). Unfortunately, only 50% of Microsporum canis has the ability to fluoresce. A negative result does not exclude the presence of dermatophytosis in the animal

Microscopic examination of hair from the affected area. If the result is positive, fungal hyphae are visualized.

– Cultivation of fungi (growing on special media), the most accurate method for diagnosing dermatophytosis, as it allows you to identify the type of pathogen. The average growth of a colony is from 7 to 30 days.

– Cytological diagnosis is carried out using a smear of an imprint from weeping lesions.

Treatment:

The disease tends to resolve itself, but due to the rapid infection of humans and animals, treatment is essential. Treatment should be carried out locally and systemically, since local agents cannot penetrate the hair follicle. Effective local remedies are solutions of enilconazole, hydrogen sulfide lime, shampoos based on ketoconazole and miconazole, ointments Miconazole and Thiabendazole. Systemic drugs such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, etc.

Treat all animals in contact. Healthy isolate from the sick and use local treatments as a preventive measure.

Treatment is discontinued only after 2 negative cultures! M. canis can be in the environment for up to 18 months, so it is necessary to clean the premises with a 1% bleach solution, 0.6% enilconazole solution. Antifungal vaccines as preventive measures did not give a positive result.

NB: It must be remembered that the drugs, regimen and duration of treatment is only a VETERINARY DOCTOR! All preparations are selected individually for each animal.

NOTE:

+ Long-haired animals get sick more often than short-haired ones.

+ Breed predisposition: Persian cats, Yorkshire and Manchester Terriers.

+ Grooming long-haired cats before starting a topical treatment allows the removal of infected hair, which largely excludes environmental pollution and promotes a faster recovery.

+ Not every pet gets lichen. In order for an active process to begin, an important condition is necessary – a reduced immune defense of the animal. The same goes for a person.

Symptoms and treatment of ringworm in cats in Nizhny Novgorod

1. Main
2. Treatment
3. Diseases of cats
4. Ringworm in cats

Ringworm in cats is one of the most common diseases. Each of us at least once in our lives heard about it. But even despite this, questions about lichen and its treatment do not lose their relevance. Next, we will try to understand and answer the main questions about this disease.

What is lichen?

Ringworm is an infectious disease caused by a fungus. It affects the skin, hair and nails. Depending on the pathogen, lichen has several varieties. Ringworm is a zooanthorponosis, a cross-species disease that can be transmitted from animal to human and vice versa.

Types of lichen in cats

In most cases, lichen is caused by fungi of the genera Microsporum and Trichophyton. The disease is called microsporia and trichophytosis, respectively. There are no fundamental differences between symptoms, treatment and prevention, so they are combined under one name. The exact type of fungus can only be determined after laboratory tests by examining the sowing in a veterinary clinic.

How is lichen transmitted to animals and humans?

Method of transmission – direct contact with a sick animal or through objects of common use. Due to the high persistence of spores in the environment, it is enough to get into the room where the sick animal has been. Fungal spores remain viable in a normal environment for up to two years.

Which cats are more likely to become infected with it?

Kittens under 1 year old, pregnant cats, patients with an infectious disease, infected with parasites, animals with a weakened immune system, exhausted and under constant stress are most often infected. Heredity plays a big role, for example, Persian cats are more prone to lichen. Adult, healthy, vaccinated cats suffer from this disease very rarely.

Make an appointment for diagnosis of lichen in a cat

How can a person not get lichen?

In order not to get infected from a sick pet, you must follow the rules of personal hygiene, disinfect the premises and care items for a sick pet, and regularly inspect the skin. Contact of children with an infected animal must be excluded, since children are at risk due to weak immunity.

Proper disinfection of premises includes

1. The room must be vacuumed and damp cleaned daily
2. Surface treatment with antifungal disinfectants
3. Replacement or disinfection of care items

The main symptoms of lichen in cats

Cat lichen can manifest itself in different ways, ranging from profuse hair loss to the appearance of extensive foci of baldness.

The classic signs are the appearance on the skin of small bald, cropped spots of a rounded shape. This spot turns red, peels off, bubbles or abscesses appear. Over time, the spots grow and increase, merging into one affected area. Severe itching usually occurs with extensive foci of infection. The first spots usually appear on the muzzle, paws, ears, tail.

Often the disease is asymptomatic, and the animal is simply a carrier of lichen, without any signs of the disease.

If you notice the first symptoms of lichen, you should immediately contact your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.

Diagnosis of lichen due to its diverse manifestations is possible only with the help of laboratory methods. According to clinical signs, lichen can only be suspected.

Lichen diagnostic methods

* Wood’s lamp examination – microsporia gives a greenish glow, trichophytosis is not always detected

* Microscopy of affected hair – spores are found in seventy percent of cases turnaround time is about two weeks.

The necessary diagnostic method is selected by the attending veterinarian.

Make an appointment for ringworm diagnosis

How to treat ringworm in cats?

Lichen treatment should be prescribed by a veterinarian during a face-to-face consultation, after the diagnosis. Self-medication can lead to a delay in the healing process and aggravation of the disease!

There are several treatment regimens for lichen in cats. Each scheme depends on the individual characteristics of the animal and is adjusted according to the course of the disease.

Exemplary treatment regimens

* The use of vaccines (Vakderm F, Polivak, Microderm) together with immunostimulating (Immunofan, Ribotan) and vitamin (Gamavit) preparations (vaccines act as a “amplifier” of specific immunity). External treatment of lesions and the area around them with antifungal drugs (for example, fungin).

* The use of the antifungal antibiotic Trimycin (it tends to linger in the epidermis of the skin, hair, nails, which prevents the further development of the disease), immunostimulants, vitamins and external treatment.

Whatever treatment regimen the veterinarian chooses, it is important to strictly follow all instructions.

Prevention of ringworm in cats

The best prevention of ringworm is vaccination. It is desirable to include vaccination against lichen in the main vaccination schedule for cats. In this case, the same drugs are used as in the treatment – Vakderm F, Polivak, Microderm. Two injections of the vaccine with an interval of ten days will lead to the emergence of stable immunity for up to a year. Subsequently, it is necessary to repeat the introduction of the vaccine annually.

Vaccination against lichen will protect against infection, but if it happens, the disease will be mild. Usually there is a rapid self-healing.

We have reviewed the main points that are of interest to cat owners, and just people who are faced with ringworm. If you have any additional questions, we recommend that you contact the veterinarian. Only a face-to-face consultation with a veterinarian fully guarantees the accuracy of the information.