Ringworm, despite its name having “worm” in it, is not really an infection caused by a worm. Ringworm is caused by a fungus that develops and lives on the epidermal layer of the skin. One of the key problems with ringworm is that it is highly contagious and is easily passed not only from human to human contact, but also from contact with animals. Contact with an infected person or animal is the most common way to contract the infection. It also has a ten day incubation period which allows it to spread from person to person without any visible signs of infection.
Contact with an infected person or animal is not the only way you can get ringworm. It can also be contracted by touching infected objects, such a clothing or blankets. Even coming into contact with infected soil can infect a person, though this is more likely to occur in animals than humans since they have more direct contact with the ground on a regular basis.
