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Athlete's foot is a parasitic fungal infection of the epidermis of the human foot. The term "athlete's foot" refers to the disease and not the organism (fungus) that causes it. Several different fungi, called dermatophytes, can cause tinea pedis. more...

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Moreover, a fungi species that causes athlete's foot can also cause, for example, jock itch (tinea cruris). It is typically caused by a mould (but in some cases a yeast) that grows on the surface of the skin and then into the living skin tissue itself, causing the infection. It usually occurs between the toes, but in severely lasting cases may appear as an extensive "moccasin" pattern on the bottom and sides of the foot. The malady more commonly affects males than females. Tinea pedis is estimated to be the second most common skin disease in the United States, after acne. Up to 15% of the U.S. population may have tinea pedis.

Causes

The body normally hosts a variety of saprotrophic micro-organisms that rapidly cause infection. Athlete's foot is a layman's description of a skin fungal infection, and is medically referred to as tinea pedis. It may be associated with several different fungi, including yeasts. The most common fungi causing tinea pedis are Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes. Fungal infections of the skin are called dermatophytosis. Dermatophytes may be spread from other humans (anthropophilic), animals (zoophilic) or may come from the soil (geophilic). Anthropophillic dermatophytes are restricted to human hosts and produce a mild, chronic inflammation. Zoophilic organisms are found primarily in animals and cause marked inflammatory reactions in humans who have contact with infected cats, dogs, cattle, horses, birds, or other animals. Geophilic species are usually recovered from the soil but occasionally infect humans and animals. They cause a marked inflammatory reaction, which limits the spread of the infection and may lead to a spontaneous cure but may also leave scars. Infections or infestations occur when dermatophytes grow and multiply in the skin.

Symptoms

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.

The infection can be spread to other areas of the body, such as the armpits, knees, elbows, and 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) for an infection of the groin).

Read more at Wikipedia.org