From the Guidelines
Tinea corporis, also known as ringworm of the body, is characterized by circular, red, scaly patches on the skin that are often itchy, with key features including ring-shaped lesions, location on the trunk, arms, or legs, and symptoms of itching, burning, or stinging sensation in the affected areas. The characteristics of Tinea corporis include:
- Appearance: Ring-shaped lesions with raised, red borders and clearer centers
- Location: Typically on the trunk, arms, or legs, but can occur anywhere on the body except the scalp, feet, and groin
- Symptoms: Itching, burning, or stinging sensation in the affected areas
- Spread: Gradually expanding lesions that may merge together
- Edges: Often more inflamed and scaly than the center The most common cause of Tinea corporis is Trichophyton tonsurans, accounting for more than 80% of cases, but it may also be caused by Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes 1. To prevent the spread of Tinea corporis, it is essential to avoid skin-to-skin contact with people known to have lesions, not share towels and other fomites, and limit exposure to swimming pools that have recently been associated with known outbreaks 1. Treatment usually involves topical antifungal medications, and for extensive or resistant cases, oral antifungals like itraconazole (100 mg daily) or terbinafine may be prescribed, with itraconazole showing a superior mycological cure rate of 87% compared to griseofulvin 1. Prevention measures include keeping the affected areas clean and dry, avoiding sharing personal items, and treating any pets that may be carriers of the fungus. The characteristic appearance of Tinea corporis is due to the fungus growing outward in a circular pattern, causing inflammation at the advancing edge while the center begins to heal.
From the FDA Drug Label
Uses • cures most athlete's foot (tinea pedis) • cures most jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm (tinea corporis) • relieves itching, burning, cracking and scaling which accompany these conditions The characteristics of Tinea corporis (Ringworm of the body) are not explicitly described in the label, but it is mentioned that the drug relieves symptoms such as:
- Itching
- Burning
- Cracking
- Scaling that accompany this condition 2
From the Research
Characteristics of Tinea Corporis
- Tinea corporis is a superficial fungal infection caused by dermatophytes, typically presenting as a well-demarcated, sharply circumscribed, oval or circular, mildly erythematous, scaly patch or plaque with a raised leading edge 3
- Mild pruritus is common in patients with tinea corporis 3
- The infection can affect any part of the body, but it is most commonly found on the trunk, especially in children and adolescents 4
- Tinea corporis can be transmitted by human contact, from the soil, or by animal spread 4
Clinical Features
- The lesion is usually annular in shape, with a clear center and a raised, scaly border 3
- The skin may be erythematous and scaly, with mild pruritus 3
- Asymmetry is an important clinical clue to fungal infection, as is annular morphology 4
- Examination under ultraviolet (Wood's light) can be helpful in diagnosing tinea corporis 4
Diagnosis
- Diagnosis is often clinical, but can be confirmed by microscopic examination of potassium hydroxide wet-mount preparations of skin scrapings from the active border of the lesion 3
- Fungal culture is the gold standard to diagnose dermatophytosis, especially if the diagnosis is in doubt and results of other tests are inconclusive or the infection is widespread, severe, or resistant to treatment 3
- Dermoscopy is a useful and non-invasive diagnostic tool for tinea corporis 3
Treatment
- The standard treatment of tinea corporis is with topical antifungals 3
- Systemic antifungal treatment is indicated if the lesion is multiple, extensive, deep, recurrent, chronic, or unresponsive to topical antifungal treatment, or if the patient is immunodeficient 3
- Terbinafine and naftifine are effective treatments for tinea corporis, with high clinical and mycological cure rates 5
- Fluconazole is also effective in treating tinea corporis, with a lower price and availability in hospitals, making it a suitable option for treatment 6