[Transmission of "barber's itch" by bathing?]

Pathogenic fungi find a favourable environment in baths for multiplication and distribution. So diseases caused by dermatophytes are often observed in connection with a visit of a bath. With regard to transmission of a "barber's itch" caused by fungi in consequence of the visit of a bath, there have still no results been published. Considering previous knowledge about epidemiology, mechanism of invasion, living, and multiplication of pathogenic fungi it seems unlikely that a transmission of the germs of "barber's itch" takes place due to the visit of a public bath. The expression "barber's itch" is not uniformly used; thus, if visitors make complaints about this affection, an etiological differentiation is required.