RINGWORM is caused by a group of fungi called Dermatophytes. These fungi tend to thrive on warm and moist skin, but may also occur on the hair shafts. They feed on a skin protein called keratin.
It can spread from person to person through various modes:
- Skin-To-Skin Contact: This forms one of the primary causes of Ringworm. Touching the eruptions of the infected person is the easiest mode of spread of the disease. Certain sports involving a high degree of contact like football and wrestling are also instrumental in transmission of the disease.
- Indirect Contact: Objects and various items used by the infected person such as towels, toys, clothes, etc. also serve as a potent means of transmission to uninfected individuals.
- Sexual Contact: The virus can spread through unprotected sexual contact from infected to non-infected person, and is commonly seen in teens and young adults. This is another prominent factor apart from other causes of Ringworm.
- Autoinoculation: Scratching, rubbing or bursting the eruptions can cause the infection to spread to adjacent parts of skin.
