RESOURCES

It is a fungal infection of the skin, caused by more than one type of fungus and the medical names are:

• Tinea capitis if it is on the scalp
• Tinea corporis if it is on the body – limbs, trunks
• Tinea cruris if it is in the groin, commonly called jock itch
• Tinea pedis if it is on the foot –  commonly called athlete’s foot
• Onychomycosis if it is in the nails

It is important to note the site because treatment differs slightly.

Ringworm spreads by touch from infected people or pets and by touching infected surfaces. In this way, clusters or outbreaks are common, especially in boarding facilities where children share showers.

Treatment and stopping the spread:

1. For scalp and nail disease, topical creams and lotions will not work, and you need to see the doctor to prescribe oral medication.
2. For skin disease, you may buy any of the following over the counter:
   
   1. Clotrimazole 1% eg. Candizole, Nov-Clotrim, Dis-chem-clotrim
   2. Miconazole 2% eg. Covarex, Vari-miconazole
   3. Ketoconazole 2% eg. Aspen ketazole
   4. Terbinafine 1% eg. Lamisil
3. It is essential to apply these lotions twice daily initially and continue applying daily as the skin lesion starts to fade. The mistake most of us make is to stop applying as it starts to fade – this can lead to rebound disease and for increased spread.
4. Though it is not necessary to stay home from school with ringworm, it is essential that you cover the lesions after applying the lotion in the morning.
5. The quicker everyone starts and completes treatment and covers their lesions, the quicker we will stop the spread at school.
6. In your household, if more than one family member has ringworm, avoid sharing towels and shower in flip flops until everyone is treated.
7. Do not use steroid creams (like hydrocortisone) on ringworm, this worsens the condition and leads to resistance.

Resistant fungal infections

Due to using fungal treatments rapidly and not continuing them over the years, there are emerging cases of resistant fungal infections.

If your child’s ringworm does not start to disappear a few days after you start the over-the-counter treatment, or you complete 4 weeks and find the lesion recurs, it is recommended to seek help from your family doctor or dermatologist. They may need to do a biopsy and prescribe strong antifungals. It is recommended not to jump to this step without trying the available treatment first.

Prepared by Dr Mandy Wessels