What I thought of ringworm when I was younger and what I know now is
different.
 
Ringworm is a virus and the area can be reddened in a circle around hence
the ring and the worm, however in some cases it may be a patch of skin ie.
size of a quarter and not round.
 
It is impossible to diagnose cats on appearance alone it involves testing
but under ultraviolet light the fur 'can' have a greenish (apple green)
color.
 
There are I think about 40 different types and they are called
derma???something.  Some can stay active/?dormant in certain conditions
for 2 years.
 
If your child had a scrape or any type of abraision of the dermus layer of
the skin he/she could have caught the ringworm/virus.
 
So it is possible that any animal at the vet could have had ringworm ...
then passed it on the fur to another pet in the vets office and brushed
against your child hence the transfer of ringworm.
 
Other possibilities are the carpet in your apartment?/house could have
previously been a carrier.
 
Also wild animals can transfer the stuff but I'm not sure what conditions
it occures under.  And transfer from cantact to another animal.
 
Something else I remember but I'm not sure is involving dirt and fecal
materal from outdoor sources but my memory isn't that good and maybe that
was more fokelore to get kids to keep on shoes or parents telling other
parents about about preventing ringworm.  Another something I'm not sure
on but athletes feet might be the same name or similar for athletes feet
of some type.  But remember I said I can't remember for sure.
 
Hard surface decontamination should be 1 to 10 (or stronger) of clorox
twice a week but there are better products.  As for soft surfaces I don't
know and you may be out of luck.
 
I think that if your pets are carrying it or have it I'm really sorry for
you cause decontamination sucks a lot of energy out of you cause of all the
work.  Kittens/pups (something like that) I think have to be washed and
soak treated (something added to water) for 10 minutes and then you have to
farm them out someplace and have 2 negative tests (over 2 weeks) come back
befor bringing them back into the home.  And you have to vacuum your
carpets every day and burn the bag when full (recommended) and preferably
the beater vacuums.  Large pets I don't recall but probably 10 minutes
soaks in something added to water and I don't know how often.  And what
after that I don't know.  As for the ferrets I'm just guessing the same
wash stuff as the kittens/puppies.  And your furnace (central in the floor
I think) can redistribuate the spores around the house.  I don't know if
an electrostatic air filter for a furnace will catch the spores but I
guess so.
 
dooks
Bruce
[Posted in FML issue 3293]