Generality
Tinea corporis (or ringworm of the body) is a "fungal infection that affects the surface layer of the skin. This condition is caused by a group of fungi, called dermatophytes.
See More Photos Tinea Corporis
Tinea corporis manifests itself with the appearance of rashes on the skin, consisting of small red and flaking patches with a circular appearance, with a lighter central area and a slightly raised sharp edge. The evolution of these lesions is typically centrifugal: the resolution spontaneous in the center and the gradual peripheral progression determine the formation of a ringworm. Ringworm rashes on the body can be itchy.
Other symptoms associated with the infection may vary depending on the affected area. Usually, tinea corporis involves the hairless skin of the limbs (arms and legs), trunk and some areas of the face; on the other hand, the feet, hands and the inguino-crural region are never involved.
The treatment of tinea corporis involves the use of antifungal drugs to be applied locally on the skin or to be taken orally, according to the most appropriate regimen indicated by the doctor.
Causes and risk factors
Tinea corporis is a "superficial skin infection (dermatophytosis), usually due to fungi of the species Trichophyton, Epidermophyton And Microsporum.
Dermatophytes are a particular type of microorganisms that infect the superficial portion of the skin (stratum corneum of the epidermis) and the skin appendages (hair, hair and nails), in which the presence of keratin is abundant, which they feed on.
As a rule, the fungi that cause tinea corporis are already present on human skin and in the environment, but generally do not pose any problem, as the skin surface and the immune system exert a "natural defense and control action. avoiding excessive fungal proliferation. However, in the presence of some favorable conditions, these microorganisms behave as opportunists, ie they are able to “exploit” situations of immune weakness and overcome the resistance of the human body's barriers, settling in the skin.
The fungi most commonly responsible for the onset of tinea corporis are:
- Trichophyton rubrum;
- Microsporum canis;
- Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
Ringworm eruption of the body usually occurs on the hairless parts (hairless skin), excluding the feet, palms and groin region. Usually, the infection involves the torso, arms and legs.
