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Cause
The common
name, "ringworm", is somewhat confusing since the disease is
not caused by a worm, but rather by one of several species of
fungi. The medical term for infection is "dermatophytosis".
Causative
fungi are sometimes found as normal inhabitants of soil.
However, more often than not, contaminated households, kennels
and catteries readily serve as sources of infection, as
decontamination of these areas can be extremely difficult.
Some infections can be spread from a single animal to another
animal or rarely, to a human. The disease itself has a very
low mortality but in ill-thrifty animals, invasion of the
compromised outer skin layers (see below) by other organisms
is possible and severe illness may ensue. Ringworm is the most
common infectious skin disease of cats.
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