Possible ringworm

RE: Possible ringworm

Rachel Brown — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 20:30:31 GMT

I managed to pick up a very small bit recently. Small red spot that was intensely itchy and doubled in size nearly overnight. Was at a dermatologist the next day and they agreed with my self diagnosis and advised Lamisil cream ( terbinafine hydrochloride, )BID for 28 days. This seems to be working very well.

RE: Possible ringworm

Jo Dyer — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 10:05:20 GMT

I had ringworm a couple of weeks ago, also on my wrist, wish I'd taken a photo now! It was more diffuse and flaky than your lesion and it responded well to Canesten bid 7d. It's the third or fourth time I've been infected, must be my ginger skin! (forced to go blonde in later life by the ravages of age.....)

I have always been under the impression that some infectious agents/parasites won't cross-infect any further once they have passed from the definitive, specific host to an accidental host, ringworm being one of them. Therefore little risk of infecting anyone or anything else, but I may well be wrong. I thought the same applied to fox mange, for instance, once it has infected the dog it is unlikely to be passed by the dog to anything else. Simultaneous or serial infestation can of course occur in the same household from the same original source. Does anyone have any good evidence regarding this?

RE: Possible ringworm

Julian Earl — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 22:51:27 GMT

Immunity s a myth. I ad it on my arm, years ago. Canestan worked, griseofulvin did what it said on the data sheet and gave me a stinking headache, hence the use of Canestan instead.. I developed another lesion about a year later on my leg, and then a third time on the same area of the same leg, that I [presume was re-infection from contaminated patch on the trousers. So covering would have been a better idea. I was not immunosuppressed then either.I tried applying Iodine and I stung like blazes and didn't seem to affect the fungus. HTH? I suppose the vigorous inflammatory reaction to topical iodine might have helped a bit eventually?

RE: Possible ringworm

Shoshannah McCarthy — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 17:50:20 GMT

That looks like my eczema. Sometimes it's a diffuse rash, but other times it looks like perfectly circumscribed raised red lesions.

The one time I had ringworm, it was scaly. But maybe it was at a different stage. Hell I don't know, I'm not a doctor!

Hope it clears up for you soon!

RE: Possible ringworm

emerald — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:22:42 GMT

I woke up in night other night and had itched it loads,so either caused a superficial infection,or it is ringworm,but otherwise don't know where my burn was?

RE: Possible ringworm

Joyce Whitehead — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:17:42 GMT

Looks very like the ringworm I remember, but if so, it is one of the itchiest things I've ever had, and burns shouldn't be too itchy till they are nearly healed.

RE: Possible ringworm

emerald — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:16:06 GMT

Thanks for the replies!

Thing is I did get burnt by oil from wok other day,so may even be just a burn?

RE: Possible ringworm

Joyce Whitehead — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:08:53 GMT

The first time I used it I was on holiday at my mother's (who was appalled at the idea of head lice, we never had them as kids, I think it was too cold in the Highlands [;)])

On that occasion I used what I had available which was frontline small dog pipettes which I had brought for the terriers to prevent ticks (this is a long time ago, my "kids" are now 21 and 23). So I applied one pipettes to each child and combed it through. I didn't wash their hair for 24 hours by which time all gone. So as that worked, I repeated it a few years later when they got it again. I never asked doc or pharmacist advice I'm afraid, but I'm old enough to remember the launch of fipronil in the uk and they (I know, the drug company, may not have been all it seemed) said that as it was used for pest control in plants it was regularly tested on people because of the spray effect and had been found safe even at high doses.

The children certainly had no ill effects. Son is 6ft5 so it didn't stunt his growth at least! Of course if questioned this is just a shaggy dog story....

RE: Possible ringworm

Dagmar Steele — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:54:53 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

[quote user="Joyce Whitehead"]I'm another parent who has used the frontline treatment on the children when they were younger, it worked a treat and was much easier than the chemist stuff...[/quote] Joyce Whitehead and Bob Russell- how much and how often? Do doctors advocate its use (obviously off the record!)

[/quote]

I've done this as well but never asked a doctor about it. They don't know nothing about Fipronil anyway, as they don't have it for humans. It works a treat. Downside is it leaves the hair very dry, but hey, compared with the hassle of the officially sold medication I didn't mind. How much depended on the amount of hair, hubby only needed two sprays, rest of the family including my son has a lot of long hair, so I dosed with roughly ten sprays each. I did it again after one week just to be sure but my fellow vet mums assured me this isn't really necessary. Of course this is all theory and never really happened - for the record!

RE: Possible ringworm

Dagmar Steele — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:33:48 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Todd"]

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"] I've never had it in 25 years of practice.[/quote]

Nor me, and I thought one infection gave lifelong immunity in animals and humans unless the immune system was compromised.

Is this true?

[/quote]

I doubt it, as I've caught it several times over the last 25 years. I do have very dry skin, so the barrier might be compromised. Anyway, it never stopped me from working or operating. Scrubbing is not advised anymore anyway (I mean the vigorous scrubbing with a hard brush), washing very well with appropriate products as others have mentioned is enough. Clotrimazol usually does the trick, I wouldn't rely on the self-limiting thing tbh ;-) If not, Imaverol (Ketoconazole) always helped. Good luck!

RE: Possible ringworm

Anthony Todd — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 09:09:37 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]I have an out of date fipronil spray at home which comes out at the first hint [/quote]

I sprayed my boys with Nuvan Top.... and suggested all the kids at school should be sprayed as they came in or out; didn't go down well....

RE: Possible ringworm

Mark Hedberg — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 08:39:14 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

[/quote]

Fingers crossed we've never had nits (we bathe children regularly, how bizarre!) but i would love to know this too!

RE: Possible ringworm

Kate Richardson — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 22:55:18 GMT

RE: Possible ringworm

Seadna — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 22:40:39 GMT

I spent 5 weeks during my final year in Uni with a lovely big ringworm lesion on the side of my face (under sideburns) I think I caught it off a rotten calf while I was leaning behind it to castrate. I felt like a bloody leper I can tell you.

RE: Possible ringworm

Joyce Whitehead — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 21:56:24 GMT

I had ringworm about 4 or 5 times as a student and in my early years as a vet, but never had it since. I think moving into SA work helped, no more ringworm calves to be handled. Maybe it's abith skin type too, I have very fine northern skin!

I'm another parent who has used the frontline treatment on the children when they were younger, it worked a treat and was much easier than the chemist stuff...

RE: Possible ringworm

Bob Russell — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 09:26:33 GMT

Certainly within each class there is always that oddball parent that does not believe nits should be treated!

I have an out of date fipronil spray at home which comes out at the first hint

RE: Possible ringworm

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 08:51:53 GMT

I've had it twice; working in the middle east you get a fairly aggressive version of it. Best thing I ever found for it was a cream called Tinactin in the USA - active ingredient tolnaftate. I never found clotrimazole that effective.

RE: Possible ringworm

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:39:18 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Todd"]

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"] I've never had it in 25 years of practice.[/quote]

Nor me, and I thought one infection gave lifelong immunity in animals and humans unless the immune system was compromised.

Is this true?

[/quote]

I doubt it - there are many different species, and some are more virulent than others. i can remember ringworm scares at school in Africa, we were all terrified to be discovered with ringworm, and head lice, either of which events would have resulted in being sent home from school till cured, and facing ostracism for some time as a dirty child...but in the UK where most people seem to consider nits to be normal and acceptable, that still amazes me.

RE: Possible ringworm

Anthony Todd — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 22:16:20 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"] I've never had it in 25 years of practice.[/quote]

Nor me, and I thought one infection gave lifelong immunity in animals and humans unless the immune system was compromised.

Is this true?

RE: Possible ringworm

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 17:35:44 GMT

Both chlorhexidine and povidone iodine scrub will kill ringworm. Sterile gloves would cover it up, so no problem there either.

However if your skin is broken or sore and it is hard to scrub, it might be an idea to see if you can come off ops for a while?

RE: Possible ringworm

emerald — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 17:30:42 GMT

I want to work,ha ha. Just wondering about logistics of sterile ops etc.

RE: Possible ringworm

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 29 Nov 2015 17:27:40 GMT

Seriously?

Of course you can. Its easy to treat, canestan (Clotrimazole) ointment would do the trick.

If you are worried about contamination a light dressing might be required but it neither a serious illness nor that contagious anyway. I've never had it in 25 years of practice. And it is self limiting - I'd be more worried if it was on head or face.