How can I educate patients on preventing the spread of ringworm in communal settings?

Educating patients on preventing the spread of ringworm in communal settings involves several key points:

• Advise maintaining good personal hygiene by washing affected skin areas daily and drying thoroughly, especially in skin folds, to reduce fungal spread.
• Recommend wearing loose-fitting clothes made of cotton or moisture-wicking materials to keep skin dry and reduce fungal growth.
• Emphasise not sharing towels, clothes, or personal items, and washing these frequently to eradicate fungal spores and prevent transmission.
• Advise avoiding scratching affected areas to prevent spreading the infection to other body sites or people.
• In communal settings such as gyms, locker rooms, or communal bathing places, recommend wearing protective footwear to reduce transmission risk.
• Inform patients that if a household pet is suspected as a source, it should be assessed and treated by a veterinarian to prevent reinfection.
• Provide information on appropriate treatment options, including topical antifungal creams for mild cases and oral antifungals for severe or extensive disease, to reduce infectiousness.
• Encourage patients to seek advice and support from reliable sources such as NHS information on ringworm.

These measures help reduce fungal spore transmission and reinfection in communal environments.

Additional advice includes: teaching thorough handwashing with liquid soap and tepid water, especially after contact with infected skin or communal surfaces, and promoting good overall infection control practices in communal settings.

Children with ringworm do not need to be excluded from school or nursery if treated appropriately.

Sharing this information in an accessible way supports behaviour change to prevent spread.

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