Athlete's Foot is an extremely common skin infection of the foot and is fungal infection. The foot is targeted because 'Trichophyton' , the type of fungus that causes athlete's foot, needs areas that are moist, warm and where a large amount of irritation (friction) occurs.The specific name for the fungus that attacks the foot is 'tinea pedis' but it is commonly known as ringworm fungus, and it is often thought to be highly contagious, although there is a common belief that certain individuals do