kendall Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 (edited) I read on a few sites this morning that while ringworm can be transferred from dogs to humans it can't then be transferred from human to human. Does anyone know if this is true? None of my pets have ringworm but I have had exposure to possible ringworm and I am wanting to take every precaution obviously so that my kids and pets don't get it. Clothes are soaking, shoes will be bleached. Hair and body SCRUBBED (and scrubbed some more!!!). Damn infectious diseases! EWWWWWW just to clarify - I am talking about M. canis and 'catching' it from a dog and then passing it on to humans (when they have not had contact themselves with the affected animal). The sites are children's hospital/health ones and they say that humans can't pass it on to other humans when they have caught it from animals. We can obviously pass it on to other animals though. Edited September 28, 2008 by kendall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 From my knowledge, ringworm is contagious and can be spread from animals to humans and humans to humans. There isn't any difference between the ringworm that a dog has and the ringworm that humans have. It is simply a skin infection caused by a particular bacteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Yes my kids ended up covered in ringworm after playing with an infected child when they were young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 It's a fungus actually. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 And you must view it under 'blue' light to be 100% sure that it is ring worm! ring worm is transferable from dogs to cats as well as to humans and if you have ringworm you can give it to your dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 It is highly contagious but I've worked at RSPCA and handled a few animals with it, and never have caught it yet. So don't worry too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Rules Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 It's a fungus actually.Mel. Yes, it is a fungus. I remember having it as a kid - we all got it but just used some sort of cream and it cleared up pretty quickly. It was never a big deal then like it seems to be now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I was gonna say it would make some good 'show and tell'. I shouldn't make fun of it really, I knew a client who had it very badly, but she did let the new kitten sleep IN her bed for a couple of weeks before she realised he had it. I think for a lot of people it is also immune-related, bit like chicken pox, some people get it and others escape. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendall Posted September 28, 2008 Author Share Posted September 28, 2008 Yeah I know it's a fungus and that it is very contagious. Bleach only kills about 80% too so bleaching everything doesn't always work either. It is a type of Tinea and there are different names/types for where they affect you and who they affect. I will copy and paste what one of the sites says to show what I am asking..... "Contagiousness Ringworm of the skin is mildly contagious. It requires direct skin-to-skin contact. The type acquired from pets is not transmitted from human to human, only from animal to human. After 48 hours of treatment, ringworm is not contagious at all. Your child doesn't have to miss any school or day care." from here I know Ringworm (tinea) can pass from animal to human to animal and even human to human BUT can the Microsporum canis type be transferred from dog to person and then onto another person - only that particular type (as per the bolded bit above). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Wow, I never knew that. How interesting. Therefore there must be 2 different types??? Can anyone in the medical profession confirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 There are lots of different species of fungus that can cause 'ringworm'. Some are animal specific, some human specific and some can be shared. The common zoonotic species can be transferred to humans, but generally not between humans. However if there is an environmental source of the fungus (such as a rose garden etc) then several people may all be exposed and can potentially develop an infection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Thanks Rappie. So can a 'ringworm' also pass from human to animal and how do you tell the difference btween those that can be tranferred from dog to human to human and those that can only go from dog to human? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 You'd need to do a fungal culture to determine the species, but it wouldn't change the outcome or treatment. Treat all affected family members under guidance of the medical professional appropriate for the species (cat, human, dog etc), wash everything that is washable and take normal hygiene measure such as washing hands after touching pets etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Thanks. You mentioned Rose gardens.... is it the same fungus that affects roses too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 No idea, I have a serious brown thumb. One of the more common geophilic dermatophytes is M. gypseum so gardens may be a common (as in common to people) source of infections. Human to animal transmission is debatable, and animal - human - human is quite rare. Mostly its either animal - human, or common source - human and animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Thanks Rappie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendall Posted September 29, 2008 Author Share Posted September 29, 2008 (edited) There are lots of different species of fungus that can cause 'ringworm'. Some are animal specific, some human specific and some can be shared. The common zoonotic species can be transferred to humans, but generally not between humans. However if there is an environmental source of the fungus (such as a rose garden etc) then several people may all be exposed and can potentially develop an infection. One of the more common geophilic dermatophytes is M. gypseum so gardens may be a common (as in common to people) source of infections. Human to animal transmission is debatable, and animal - human - human is quite rare. Mostly its either animal - human, or common source - human and animal. Thanks heaps Rappie That is what I was trying to confirm Edited September 29, 2008 by kendall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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