Athlete's foot is the most common form of fungal skin infection. But what causes the infection? And where did it get its name? Get started with basic facts on athlete's foot here.

What is athlete's foot?
Athlete's foot is a common foot infection caused by a fungal organism called the tinea fungus, which belong to the dermatophyte family. The fungus associated with athlete's foot best grows in damp, obscure and warm places. This is why it often develops between your toes or toenails. This can make them thick, discolored and crumbly. Athlete's foot is very similar related to other fungal infections with similar names, which include jock itch and ringworm.

Not all fungus conditions that appear as athlete's foot are athlete's foot. Other conditions that may mimic athlete's foot include:

• disturbances of the sweat mechanism
• eczema
• psoriasis
• reaction to dyes or adhesives in shoes

Athlete's foot is contagious!  But how does the fungus spread and how is it trasmitted from one person to another?  Plus, how can you avoid contracting athlete's foot?  More on who is at risk of athlete's foot and in what conditions is athletes foot contagious in the next section.