Athlete's foot causes scaling, flaking, and itching of the affected skin. Blisters and cracked skin may also occur, leading to exposed raw tissue, pain, swelling, and inflammation. Secondary bacterial infection can accompany the fungal infection, sometimes requiring a course of oral antibiotics.[2][3]
The infection can be spread to other areas of the body, such as the groin, and usually is called by a different name once it spreads, such as tinea corporis on the body or limbs and tinea cruris (jock itch or dhobi itch) for an infection of the groin. Tinea pedis most often manifests between the toes, with the space between the fourth and fifth digits most commonly afflicted.[4][5][6]
Some individuals may experience an allergic response to the fungus called an "id reaction" in which blisters or vesicles can appear in areas such as the hands, chest and arms. Treatment of the fungus usually results in resolution of the id reaction.
- From person to person
Athlete's foot is a communicable disease caused by a parasitic fungus in the genus Trichophyton, either Trichophyton rubrum or Trichophyton mentagrophytes.[8] It is typically transmitted in moist environments where people walk barefoot, such as showers, bath houses, and locker rooms.[8][9][10] It can also be transmitted by sharing footwear with an infected person, or less commonly, by sharing towels with an infected person.
- To other parts of the body
The various parasitic fungi that cause athlete's foot can also cause skin infections on other areas of the body, most often under toenails (onychomycosis) or on the groin (tinea cruris).
Prevention
The fungi that cause athlete's foot can live on shower floors,[11] wet towels, and footwear,[11] and can spread from person to person from shared contact with showers, towels, etc.[12]
Hygiene, therefore, plays an important role in managing an athlete's foot infection. Since fungi thrive in moist environments, keeping feet and footwear as dry as possible, and avoiding sharing towels, etc., aids prevention of primary infection.
Treatments
Without medication athlete's foot resolves in 30–40% of cases[13] and topical antifungal medication consistently produce much higher percentages of cure.[14]