Why is athlete's foot so contagious?

Reviewer: Zhang Shuyuan, Chief Physician, Beijing Huayi Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Dermatology Hospital

After returning from a business trip, Lao Wang's feet started to itch, and he also developed several new red bumps and peeling skin between his toes. He went to the hospital for a checkup, and the doctor told him that he had tinea pedis, commonly known as athlete's foot.

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What causes athlete's foot?

Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is caused by superficial fungal infection of the foot skin. Athlete's foot is a common fungal skin infection, mainly caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, etc. According to data, 70% to 80% of adults suffer from athlete's foot. In severe cases, fungal infections may occur in other parts of the body, and even cause "self-infection" and "infection of others".

What are the clinical manifestations of different types of athlete's foot?

The clinical manifestations of different types of athlete's foot are as follows:

1. Blister-type athlete's foot

Small blisters are the main types of blisters, which are distributed in groups or scattered on the edges of the feet, between the toes and on the soles. The blister walls are relatively thick and not easy to break. The blister fluid is clear, and desquamation will occur after drying and absorption, and itching is also obvious.

2. Erosion between toes type athlete's foot

Generally, the feet are prone to sweating, which is caused by long-term immersion in water or long-term wearing of non-breathable shoes. It often occurs in summer and is mainly seen between the 3rd and 4th toes and between the 4th and 5th toes. The appearance of skin damage is interdigital erosion, which will turn white after immersion in water. After removing the white epithelium, the red eroded inner surface will be seen, with a little exudate.

The patient has obvious itching sensation, and local bacterial infection is prone to continue, often accompanied by a foul odor. In severe cases, infection in deeper parts may occur.

3. Scaly and keratotic athlete's foot

Generally speaking, scaly and keratotic athlete's foot occurs on the soles, edges and heels of the feet, and is characterized by diffuse skin thickening, roughness, dryness, and desquamation. The scales are in the form of flakes and small dots, and will fall off repeatedly.

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How is athlete's foot transmitted?

Athlete's foot is a common disease in life and is contagious. The transmission methods usually include the following:

1. Indirect contact transmission

Athlete's foot is most likely caused by indirect contact. For example, if you accidentally use the daily necessities used by athlete's foot patients, or wear slippers worn by athlete's foot patients in a public bathroom, you may get athlete's foot.

2. Direct communication

If you have long-term contact with patients with athlete's foot but do not seek timely treatment, you will also be infected with athlete's foot. If you scratch your skin when it itches, the fungus will gradually spread to other parts of the body, causing "athlete's foot" to infect other parts of the body.

3. Fungal susceptibility

Fungi have extremely strong vitality. Even if they are cured, pathogenic fungi can still be cultured many years later. If you are exposed to fungi for a long time but cannot develop long-term resistance, you will be infected again.

4. Others

In addition, in life, wearing non-breathable shoes and socks for a long time, coupled with frequent exercise, will cause your feet to sweat easily, creating a good growth environment for fungi and causing athlete's foot.

Athlete's foot can be cured, but preventive measures need to be taken during the treatment process.

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What should you pay attention to to avoid athlete's foot?

Correct preventive measures are essential to reduce the recurrence and spread of athlete's foot. We need to do the following:

1. Pay attention to personal hygiene and do not share shoes, socks, bathtubs, towels and other daily necessities with others. In public baths and public hygiene places, you should bring your own slippers and avoid walking barefoot.

2. Wear shoes and socks with good breathability to avoid sweating and foot odor. Wash your feet frequently, and do not soak them for too long. Dry your toes in time after washing them. People with sweaty feet or tight toe gaps can wear split-toe socks, which are also good for sweat absorption and ventilation.

3. During the treatment, patients must follow the doctor's advice and take the full amount and duration of treatment. Do not increase or decrease the dosage or stop taking the medicine without authorization. Check regularly and follow up on the recovery at any time.

The process of treating athlete's foot is long. During the treatment, patients need to observe their symptoms frequently and maintain a good diet structure, which can not only effectively control the disease, but also achieve better treatment results. Patients should choose appropriate exercises according to their own conditions, strengthen their physical fitness, and stay up late less. Patients who love to drink should control or force themselves to quit drinking.

It should be noted that beriberi and tinea pedis are two different diseases. Beriberi is a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine), which is one of the common nutrient deficiencies. If the patient has neurological symptoms as the main manifestation, it is called dry beriberi; if the patient has heart failure as the main manifestation, it is called wet beriberi. The former manifests as ascending symmetrical peripheral neuritis, sensory and motor disorders, and decreased muscle strength. Some patients will develop foot drop and toe drop, and have a threshold-crossing gait when walking. The latter manifests as weakness, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, etc. Early diagnosis, timely prevention and treatment are the key to improving patient prognosis.