Ringworm in humans
All types of lichen require treatment. Initially, competent diagnosis is required to select adequate therapy. Shingles on the body is of viral herpetic origin. Localization - intercostal area, along the location of the nerves. It may also appear in other places with the main nerve trunks. Most often it occurs on one side of the body in the form of a blistering rash with the formation of a crust later. The incubation period for lichen is on average 14 days, but the range can be from 11 to 21 days. If the form of the disease is ocular, without timely treatment you can lose your vision.
Ringworm in a child is most often diagnosed as ringworm. Trichophytosis and microsporia can affect the skin of the face, head, shoulders, and neck. The nature of occurrence is Microsporum and Trichophyton fungi. In most cases, ringworm on a child’s head develops of the ringworm type. There are ways of infection: through household contact, through contact with a sick person or animals.
Ringworm on the head appears in the form of pink spots with gradual rejection of hair in its growth zone, which causes bald spots to form. Over time, itching may begin, and until active manifestation it is asymptomatic.
Pityriasis rosea (erythematous squamous dermatosis, pityriasis or Gibert's disease) is viral in nature. The disease is provoked by herpetic virus type 6 or 7. Occurs most often in the autumn-spring period. It is typical that pityriasis rosea appears in the groin, as well as on the arms and legs. Plaques up to 20 mm in diameter. The center is yellowish brown or pink. When the mother (largest) spot disappears, cold symptoms are felt. Ringworm on the arm, as in other places, is accompanied by itching.
The pityriasis type of the disease is caused by the fungus Malassezia. The peak of the disease occurs in the summer. This cutaneous lichen is prone to recurrence. It is characterized by pigment spots of yellow, pink, brown, which merge over time. There is no inflammation, but there is characteristic peeling. Localization - throughout the body, except for the limbs and head. A typical picture is lichen on the back. Requires treatment, otherwise the disease may progress to a chronic stage.
The red flat appearance is quite rare. Lichen is localized in the mouth, on the mucous membranes, forearms, ankle and wrist joints. May destroy nail plates. In women, if there is a disease in the oral cavity, there is a high probability of damage to the external genital area. Lichen also appears on the chest. Itching can spread to the entire body. In men, lichen on the penis is concentrated in the area of the head.
The white (sunny) type of the disease is the least aggressive. The course of the disease can last for years. Ringworm is caused by yeast fungi. It often affects people under 30 years of age. Ringworm shows symptoms in the head and chest area. It has nothing to do with the sun, but is clearly visible on tanned skin. Ringworm on the arm can also appear. Psoriasis or the scaly form of the disease has a non-infectious nature of development. Refers to autoimmune pathologies. If left untreated, the risk of developing arthritis increases.
Causes
A person may develop lichen for the following reasons:
- Weak immunity, unable to cope with viral infection;
- Heredity;
- Transference of acute respiratory diseases, which, if complicated, can cause certain types of lichen;
- Contact with animals that are carriers of infection;
- A side effect of taking certain medications that cause disease, most often these include products for external use;
- Exacerbation of an allergic reaction;
- Frequent stressful situations;
- Damage to the skin that was not promptly treated with an antiseptic drug.
There are a large number of causes of the disease, most often depending on the type of lichen.
Prevention of lichen
Ringworm is a disease that can and should be prevented. For effective prevention, it is necessary to regularly examine all family members for the appearance of the first signs.
A sick person must be immediately isolated and his belongings and belongings must be constantly disinfected.
After visiting public toilets and other places of public use, wash your hands thoroughly, take a shower daily, and do not use other people’s personal hygiene items - combs, underwear. Do not have contact with stray animals.
Incubation period
The incubation period for ringworm in humans ranges from one to two days to one and a half to two months. The rate of development of this fungal infection directly depends on which pathogen is in the human body.
It's one thing if it's a superficial infection. In this case, the incubation period for depriving a person will be no more than a week. The first symptoms should appear on the 5-6th day after contact with the pathogen.
Ringworm of another type, for example infiltrative-suppurative, may not manifest itself even for several months. In this case, it is often not possible to determine when the infection occurred.
How to relieve pain from shingles
The main symptom of herpes zoster, which distinguishes it from other infectious diseases with skin manifestations, is pain, which can occur both before the rash appears and after it has healed. For pain relief, the doctor prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
A common complication of herpes zoster is postherpetic neuralgia, a severe pain syndrome that lasts at least 120 days. Pain can bother a person for several months and even years after recovery. Postherpetic neuralgia develops mainly in older people - for example, about 50% of cases are recorded in patients over 60 years of age.
Treatment of deprivation
The main goal of treatment for lichen is to destroy the causative agent of the disease. This is achieved using local therapy. It includes regular use of antifungal drugs; in especially severe cases, a specialist may prescribe special hormones that will help the body fight the virus. Multivitamins, iron and phytin preparations, and injections of aloe extract are also used.
At home, it is recommended to treat the affected skin with a 5% iodine solution and use antifungal creams and ointments.
How is shingles transmitted?
Herpes zoster (syn. - herpes zoster) is a secondary infection that develops only in people who have previously had chickenpox. Activation of the virus usually occurs against the background of a weakening of the cellular component of immunity and exposure to unfavorable factors, such as:
- Hypovitaminosis
- Taking hormonal medications
- Radiation or chemotherapy
- Blood diseases, diabetes, oncology
Women are more susceptible to relapses of herpes zoster, as well as carriers of the interleukin gene mutation and older people - for example, among adults aged 85 years, 50% of people have suffered at least one episode of the disease. And in patients with immunodeficiencies, in particular with HIV, the risk of reactivation of herpes type 3 increases 20 times compared to people with normal immune status.
Transmission of lichen from animals
One of the most common ways to become infected with shingles is to catch it from animals. The carriers are often stray cats. Therefore, it is important to remember how shingles is transmitted. The incubation period for the disease is very long, and it can be very difficult to start treatment in a timely manner.
The symptoms are extremely unpleasant, and, as a rule, it is not possible to recover quickly and without consequences. Bald spots appear at the site of infection; severe hair loss is a prerequisite. But you can become infected through any, even the slightest, contact with an animal. The main thing is not to mistake this disease for severe dandruff, but in the early stages they are very similar. If you get carried away with dandruff treatment, you can seriously develop lichen.
The incubation period for lichen in a person infected by a cat can be several weeks. Therefore, it is best to completely avoid communication and contact with stray animals. Or if you decide to take an animal into your home from the street, then before bringing it into your apartment, visit a veterinarian. The specialist will be able to advise you whether the cat has lichen or other diseases, and will prescribe the necessary medications for both the animal and you and family members.
An extremely unpleasant disease is feline lichen. A person has a long incubation period, so the disease is usually started, and then they pay for a long time for their carelessness.
First signs of infection
The incubation period is the time from entry into the body until the pathogenic flora begins to multiply on the skin, depending on the type of pathogen. Ringworm appears after infection on the fifth day or does not show itself for several months.
The initial period is characterized by skin rashes that itch, swell and flake, and are different in color from unaffected areas. Depending on the type of pathogen and the state of immunity, the rash appears throughout the body or is localized in a specific area: feet, hands, elbows, nail plates, head or thighs. The lesion has clear outlines. There are white particles of dead skin on it. If the scalp and groin area are infected, the disease is accompanied by hair loss.
The addition of an additional infection provokes the appearance of blisters filled with pus. As the disease progresses, they burst and spontaneously collapse. In their place, dense brown crusts form. With proper and timely treatment, the hardened layer falls off and the skin returns to its natural appearance. Nails attacked by ringworm peel, become brittle, and take on an irregular shape.
Can a person infect a cat with shingles as soon as he or she becomes ill?
If a person is a carrier of microsporia, this does not mean that his pet will immediately become ill with a mycotic disease. Infection does not occur instantly. First, fungal spores land on the skin and penetrate into the epidermal cells. Only after this they begin to become active. Germination of microsporia spores can take from 1 to 3 weeks.
Since cats have the habit of licking themselves frequently, most spores have time to disappear from the fur before germination. Even if the latter happens, the defense system of a healthy animal quickly reacts to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms and destroys them. In order for the fungus to become active, a favorable condition for it will be the weakened immunity of the animal.
It is for this reason that those most susceptible to ringworm are:
- young kittens;
- old animals;
- cats with microtraumas of the skin;
- individuals in whose body malignant processes occur;
- long-haired breeds.
A skin infection can be quickly cleared up with special antifungal drugs. But this disease is still very dangerous for a pet. Microsporia threatens not so much with external consequences - loss of undercoat and breaking off claws, but with internal ones - deterioration of the cat’s well-being and organ dysfunction. It is for this reason that a furry pet should be isolated as soon as possible if someone in the house is sick.
