 Ringworm is the popular term for a fungal infection of the skins, hairs, and nail superficial layers. Ringworm infections can occur in humans as well as in domesticated animals. The term is derived from the characteristic look of the circular, red, elevated ring that marks the limit of inflammation in patients afflicted with the illness. Ringworm's common name is rather misleading, as it is not a worm-borne infection, and affected regions are not necessarily ring-shaped. Because the organisms that cause ringworm infections are members of a specific type of fungus known as dermatophytes, the illness is known as dermatophytosis. Some species of dermatophytes are species specific, meaning that they will only infect one species, whereas others can be spread between different species of animals or from animals to humans. In cats, one species of dermatophyte, called mycrosperum canus, is responsible for almost all ringworm infections. This species is also infectious to dogs and humans. Occasionally ringworm infections in cats may be caused by species such as trichophyte and menografites. This species is also zoonotic, meaning that it can also infect humans. Ringworm can be challenging to detect in cats, since the lesions of ringworm may be very mild or even undetectable. Ringworm fungi feed on the keratin that is found in the outer layers of the skin, hair, and nails. A cigarette ash-scaling in the depths of the coat may be the only visible indicator of ringworm infection in cats. Some cats may have round thickened patches of skin with hair loss. Hair loss, alopecia, occurs when the spores infect the hair shafts, resulting in increased fragility of the infected hairs. In cats, the main sites for these lesions are the skin on the head, chest, forelegs, and along the ridge of the back. These lesions are usually not itchy. Occasionally, infection of the claws known as onychomycosis may occur. The claws become rough, pitted, and develop a scaly base and they may eventually become deformed. Ringworm may sometimes cause a more generalized disease where a much larger area of the body is affected, often seen as patchy hair loss. Some cats, especially long-haired breeds, may have ringworm without any clinical signs or hair loss. These cats are called asymptomatic carriers. These cats may infect other animals or people, especially in shelters or multicat environments, without caregivers knowing they are infected. Ringworm can be transmitted quite easily to humans, particularly children, and it is important to take appropriate steps to minimize exposure to the fungus while the cat is being treated. Infected pets remain contagious for about three weeks if aggressive treatment is used. The ringworm will last longer and remain contagious for an extended period of time if only minimal measures are taken or if you are not faithful with a prescribed approach. Minimizing exposure to other dogs or cats and to your family members is recommended during this period. Ringworm transmission. Ringworm is contagious and transmission occurs by direct contact with the fungus. It may be passed by direct contact with an infected animal or person, or by handling contaminated objects, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The fungal spores may remain dormant on combs, brushes, food bowls, furniture, bedding, carpet, or other environmental surfaces for many months, reportedly up to 18 months. Contact with ringworm fungus does not always result in an infection. The amount of environmental contamination is an important factor in the development of a ringworm infection, as is the age of the exposed person or animal. Healthy adult humans are usually resistant to infection unless there is a break in the skin such as a scratch. Elderly people, young children, and adults with immune system weaknesses or skin sensitivities are especially susceptible to ringworm infection. If your child has ringworm, he or she may have acquired it from your pet or from another child at school. If you or any of your family members develop suspicious skin lesions, see your family physician immediately. The incubation period between exposure to ringworm fungus and the development of ringworm lesions usually ranges from 7 to 14 days. Some cases may take up to 21 days before signs of infection develop. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beamix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeamixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife to get 20% off. Ringworm Infection Diagnosis. The majority of cases of feline ringworm caused by M. Canis will glow with the yellow-green fluorescence when the skin and coat are examined in a dark room under a special ultraviolet lamp called a woods lamp. However, not all cases show clear fluorescence and some other species of dermatophytes do not fluoresce under a woods lamp. Therefore additional diagnostics may needed to confirm that there are ringworm fungi present. Some skin ointments and other materials also fluoresce and may give a false positive result. The most accurate method for diagnosing ringworm in cats is by culture of the fungus in a laboratory. For this, samples of hair and skin scrapings are taken. A positive culture can sometimes be confirmed within a couple of days, but in some cases the fungal spores may be slow to grow and culture results can take up to four weeks, meaning that a suspected case cannot be called negative for at least a month. There are numerous causes of hair loss in cats. Before making a diagnosis of ringworm, your veterinarian may recommend additional testing to rule out some of these causes. Ringworm Treatment. Although ringworm is a self-limiting infection in many cats, with resolution typically taking three to five months, treatment of the disease is always necessary to minimize the risk of spread of infection to humans, especially children and other pets. The most common way to treat ringworm in cats is to use a combination of topical therapy, application of creams, ointments or shampoos, and systemic oral therapy, administration of antifungal drugs by mouth. In order for treatment to be successful, all environmental contamination must be eliminated. Topical Treatment Cat Bath. Occasionally, topical therapy is used alone for treatment of ringworm, but more commonly it is used in combination with oral medication. Various creams and ointments are available to apply to localized areas of the skin affected by ringworm. Shaving the hair in small areas may be sufficient if only one or two areas are affected. If there is more generalized disease, or if your cat is a long-haired breed, your veterinarian may recommend clipping all of your cat's hair, along with bathing your cat with a medicated shampoo at least twice weekly. It is extremely important to only use preparations that have been specifically provided or recommended by your veterinarian. Topical treatment will usually be necessary for a period of several weeks to several months. After bathing or treating your cat, be sure to wash your hands, and sanitize any surfaces your cat been in contact with using a bleach solution. Oral Treatment. In the majority of cases of ringworm, effective treatment will require the administration of an oral antifungal drug. The most widely used drug for this purpose has traditionally been grizziofulvan, although newer drugs such as a trochanazole or turbinifine, lamacil, are being used more frequently, and are often preferred since they have fewer side effects. The response of individual cats to treatment varies, and if therapy is stopped too soon, the disease may recur. Usually treatment lasts for a minimum of six weeks, and in some cases, much longer therapy is required. Ringworm cultures will be taken periodically after the start of treatment to determine if your pet is still infected. Do not stop treatment unless your veterinarian has made this recommendation. Stopping treatment too soon can result in a recurrence of the fungus. Treatment is typically continued until two consecutive negative ringworm cultures are obtained. If there is more than one pet in the household, try to separate infected from non-infected animals and just treat the infected ones. In some situations, it may be preferable to treat all of the pets. Your veterinarian will advise you on the best treatment given your individual circumstances. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. 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