【Pathology】Tinea pedis question

Tinea pedis question

1. Does poor hygiene cause athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot has nothing to do with cleanliness. Even if you wash your feet with soap and water several times a day, you can get athlete’s foot — especially if you don’t dry your feet completely after each washing.

2. Does walking barefoot lead to athlete’s foot?

Walking barefoot in a locker room or public shower is one way to get athlete’s foot, but it’s not the only way. You can also become infected if you share a towel, socks, or shoes with someone who has athlete’s foot.

3. How can you tell if you have athlete’s foot?

Athlete’s foot can look different in each person. Some people do get peeling or cracking skin between their toes. Others have redness or dryness on the bottom of their feet that looks just like dry skin. If you’re not sure what’s going on with your feet, see a podiatrist or doctor.

4. Can shoes and socks prevent athlete’s foot?

The fungus that causes athlete’s foot thrives in dark, damp places. Wet shoes and socks are the perfect habitat for these little critters. Your feet are safe inside shoes or socks — as long as you keep them dry. Otherwise, let those toes out in the air.

5. Can you prevent athlete’s foot by showering?

Showering is actually one of the ways you can get athlete’s foot. Step into a locker room or pool shower with bare feet and you can pick up the condition. Showering alone won’t clear up the fungus that causes athlete’s foot — no matter how carefully you wash between your toes. But keeping your feet clean and dry can help prevent this fungus from returning.

6. How can athlete’s foot spread?

Athlete’s foot can spread if you scratch the itch and then touch other parts of your body, including your groin (jock itch) and the skin under your arms. It can also spread to other parts of your body via contaminated sheets or clothing.

7. Does athlete’s foot go away on its own?

Without treatment, athlete’s foot will make your feet even itchier and more miserable. It can also turn into a more serious infection if you don’t take care of it. Antifungal creams and pills are the best treatments for athlete’s foot.

8. Do cotton socks prevent athlete’s foot?

The opposite is true. Natural fibers like cotton or wool tend to hold moisture next to your foot. The fungi that cause athlete’s foot love to live in damp places. Synthetic fiber socks are preferred for the prevention of athlete’s foot due to their better wicking of moisture away from the feet.

9. When should you stop using treatments for athlete’s foot?

To prevent athlete’s foot from returning, keep using the medicine for the length of time your doctor recommended.

10. When was tinea pedis (athlete's foot) first described?

Tinea pedis has afflicted humanity for centuries, so it is perhaps surprising that the condition was not described until Pellizzari did so in 1888. [1] The first report of tinea pedis was in 1908 by Whitfield, who, with Sabouraud, believed that tinea pedis was a very rare infection caused by the same organisms that produce tinea capitis.

 

19. What is the prevalence of tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?

Tinea pedis is thought to be the world's most common dermatophytosis. Reportedly, 70% of the population will be infected with tinea pedis at some time.

 

20. How does the prevalence of tinea pedis (athlete's foot) vary by race?

Tinea pedis has no predilection for any racial or ethnic group.

 

21. How does the prevalence of tinea pedis (athlete's foot) vary by sex?

Tinea pedis more commonly affects males compared with females.

 

22. How does the prevalence of tinea pedis (athlete's foot) vary by age group?

The prevalence of tinea pedis increases with age. Most cases occur after puberty. Childhood tinea pedis is rare.

 

23. What is the prognosis of tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?

The type of tinea pedis infection and underlying conditions (eg, immunosuppression, diabetes) affect the prognosis; however, with appropriate treatment, the prognosis is generally good. Tinea pedis is not associated with significant mortality or morbidity.

 

24. What education about tinea pedis (athlete's foot) should patients receive?

Patients with tinea pedis should be educated that reinfection can occur if they are reexposed to dermatophytes. Old shoes are often sources of reinfection and should be disposed of or treated with antifungal powders.

Patients should be cautioned to wear protective footwear at communal pools and baths and should attempt to keep their feet dry by limiting occlusive footwear. When occlusive footwear is worn, wearing cotton socks and adding a drying powder with antifungal action in the shoes may be helpful.

 

25. Which other dermatophyte infections may be comorbid with tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?

Patients may have other associated dermatophyte infections, such as onychomycosis, tinea cruris, and tinea manuum. Tinea manuum is often unilateral and associated with moccasin-type tinea pedis (2-feet–1-hand syndrome). One study suggests the scratching habits of the infected individual result in transmission of the dermatophytes from the feet to the hand.

 

26. Which organism causes inflammatory, vesicular and ulcerative tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?

Both the inflammatory/vesicular type of tinea pedis and the ulcerative type of tinea pedis are most commonly caused by the zoophilic fungus T mentagrophytes var mentagrophytes.

 

27. Which organisms cause chronic hyperkeratotic tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?

The chronic hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis is usually caused by T rubrum. Other possible causative organisms include T mentagrophytes var interdigitale, E floccosum, and the nondermatophyte molds Scytalidium hyalinum and Scytalidium dimidiatum.

 

28. What is the role of lab testing in the diagnosis of tinea pedis (athlete's foot)?

In suspected tinea pedis, order direct potassium hydroxide (KOH) staining for fungal elements. Usually, the fungal elements are easily identified from scaly lesions. Using counterstains may enhance the visibility of the hyaline hyphae found in dermatophyte infections. Examples include the chitin-specific stains chlorazol black E, which stains hyphae blue-black, and calcofluor, which fluoresces hyphae under a fluorescent microscope.

Reference:

https://www.foot.com/questions-answers-about-athletes-foot/

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1091684-questions-and-answers