Also called: Also called: Tinea pedis
Athlete's foot is a common infection caused by the tinea fungus. It is not serious. Symptoms include itching, burning and cracked, scaly skin between your toes. Tinea grows best in damp, dark and warm places, which is why it often develops between your toes. It can spread to your toenails, as well, making them thick and crumbly.
You can get athlete's foot from damp surfaces, such as locker room floors. To prevent it
- Wash your feet every day
- Dry your feet well, especially between your toes
- Wear clean socks
- Don't walk barefoot in public areas
- Wear flip-flops in locker room showers
Treatments include over-the-counter antifungal creams for most cases and prescription medicines for more serious infections.
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Tinea Infections: Athlete's Foot, Jock Itch and Ringworm(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/fungal/316.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/infections/common/fungal/316.printerview.html
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Athlete's Foot(American Podiatric Medical Association) - http://www.apma.org/s_apma/doc.asp?CID=371&DID=9386
Also available in Spanish http://www.apma.org/s_apma/doc.asp?CID=374&DID=9237
- Athlete's Foot(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/athletes-foot/DS00317/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- FDA Approves First Generic Versions of Lamisil Tablets(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01662.html
- Fungus Infections: Preventing Recurrence(American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) - http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/fungus_preventing.html
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Athlete's Foot (Tinea Pedis)
(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/tineaPedisAthletesFoot.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Tinea Pedis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Tinea+Pedis%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Step-wise treatment of athlete's foot (tinea pedis) using isoconazole combined... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18783571&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Successful treatment of tinea pedis with a topical agent containing... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18783570&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Common tinea infections in children. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18533375&tool=MedlinePlus
- Athlete's Foot -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=tinea+pedis[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Athlete's Foot - http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v:project=medlineplus&binning-state=group%3d%3dMedical%20Encyclopedia&query=Athlete%27s+Foot
- Find a Dermatologist(American Academy of Dermatology) - http://www.aad.org/findaderm/
- American Academy of Dermatology - http://www.aad.org/
- American Podiatric Medical Association - http://www.apma.org/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Athlete’s Foot(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/skin/athletes_foot.html
- Athlete's Foot(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/skin/athletes_foot.html
- Foot Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foothealth.html
- Tinea Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tineainfections.html
- Skin, Hair and Nails - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skinhairandnails.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Athlete's Foot is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/