Tinea pedis is a superficial fungal infection of the foot caused by dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Often infected by contact with patients with tinea pedis or their appliances, it can also cause tinea manuum, tinea corporis, tinea cruris, onychomycosis and so on due to its own infection.

Tinea pedis is a very common fungal infectious disease, and the incidence rate of natural population in the world is above 10%.

The incidence of tinea pedis is related to close contact with the source of infection. Dermatophytes can spread between people, animals and people, and pollutants and people. Patients often walk barefoot in public areas such as bathrooms, swimming pools, gyms, etc. before being infected with tinea pedis, using towels or wearing shoes and socks of patients with tinea pedis by mistake, and they are infected by direct or indirect contact with pathogenic bacteria. The dermatophytes that can cause tinea pedis include Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton gypsum and Trichophyton floccosum. Trichophyton rubrum is the most common.

Environmental factors also play a role in the pathogenesis of superficial fungal infection, and hot and humid areas and high temperature seasons are the promoting factors for the high incidence of dermatophyte infection. Sweating hands and feet, wearing airtight shoes or impaired immune function are also important susceptible factors.