Tinea
What is tinea?
Tinea, more commonly known as ringworm, is a fungal infection of the skin that is passed on person to person by touching the infected skin area directly or through an infected surface, such as personal clothes, wrestling mats, and pool surfaces. It can be passes on person to person: anthropophilic, animal to person: zoophilic, or soil to person: geophilic.
Tinea, more commonly known as ringworm, is a fungal infection of the skin that is passed on person to person by touching the infected skin area directly or through an infected surface, such as personal clothes, wrestling mats, and pool surfaces. It can be passes on person to person: anthropophilic, animal to person: zoophilic, or soil to person: geophilic.
How does tinea affect the integumentary system?
Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that invade and thrive in dead keratin cells. They are keratinophilic fungi so they grow mainly in the stratum corneum of the epidermis. They thrive in moist body areas, so infections are more likely in the most sweat prone areas of the body. Infections are likely to be caught from towels, communal shower areas, and work out equipment. The infection grows outwards on skin, forming the circular ring-like pattern on the skin. The integumentary and immune system respond to the fungi by increasing the layer and size of the stratum basal, which is full of basal keratinocyte cells, to increase sloughing off of the top layer of infected keratinized cells. The thickening of the stratum basal is responsible for the scaling and thickening of the superficial skin.
Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that invade and thrive in dead keratin cells. They are keratinophilic fungi so they grow mainly in the stratum corneum of the epidermis. They thrive in moist body areas, so infections are more likely in the most sweat prone areas of the body. Infections are likely to be caught from towels, communal shower areas, and work out equipment. The infection grows outwards on skin, forming the circular ring-like pattern on the skin. The integumentary and immune system respond to the fungi by increasing the layer and size of the stratum basal, which is full of basal keratinocyte cells, to increase sloughing off of the top layer of infected keratinized cells. The thickening of the stratum basal is responsible for the scaling and thickening of the superficial skin.
What are the different types of tinea and how are they classified?
Tinea is classified based on the different areas of the body that it affects. There are several categories of tinea:
Tinea is classified based on the different areas of the body that it affects. There are several categories of tinea:
- Tinea capitis- the scalp (Figure 1)
- Tinea pedis and manuum- the soles of the feet, the interdigital spaces, and palms of the hands (Figure 2)
- Tinea corporis- the body (Figure 4)
- Tinea cruris- the groin area
- Tinea barbae- the neck and beard area (Figure 5)
- Tinea unguium- the nails (Figure 3)
How is tinea treated?
Tinea usually is easily visually diagnosed and can be treated with anti fungal topical treatment. Patients should wear loose fitting clothing designed to keep moisture away from the body surface. This will ruin the warm, moist areas that the bacteria thrive in.
Tinea usually is easily visually diagnosed and can be treated with anti fungal topical treatment. Patients should wear loose fitting clothing designed to keep moisture away from the body surface. This will ruin the warm, moist areas that the bacteria thrive in.
Sources
Andrews, S. (n.d.). Tinea in Emergency Medicine . Tinea in Emergency Medicine. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/787217-overview
Schmitt, B. D. (2013). Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea Capitis). CRS - Pediatric Advisor, 1.
Andrews, S. (n.d.). Tinea in Emergency Medicine . Tinea in Emergency Medicine. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/787217-overview
Schmitt, B. D. (2013). Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea Capitis). CRS - Pediatric Advisor, 1.