the.com/ringworm
not a worm, just a fungus throwing a circular rave on your skin
means A contagious fungal infection of the skin that produces a red, ring-shaped, often itchy rash — despite the name, no worm is involved.
from A plain old English compound of 'ring' and 'worm,' naming the disease by its two most striking features: the telltale circular rash, and the old belief that such creeping, spreading skin ailments were caused by a worm burrowing beneath the surface. For centuries 'worm' was a catch-all in English for anything thought to gnaw, crawl, or infest the body, so the name stuck long before anyone knew the real culprit was a fungus.
- zero worms
- Caused by fungi, named purely for the ring-shaped rash
- same family
- Athlete's foot and jock itch are ringworm relocated
- highly social
- Spreads via towels, mats, pets, and locker rooms
- glows green
- Some species fluoresce under ultraviolet blacklight
- ancient enemy
- Roman texts described and treated it centuries ago
tinea pedis — fungal infection affecting 10-12% of the global population, commonly called athlete's foot
tinea corporis — ringworm of the body, the most common dermatophyte infection in tropical regions
tinea capitis — scalp ringworm affecting primarily children, caused by microsporum canis or trichophyton tonsurans