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]