an infectious skin disease of humans and many animals, esp. fowl, caused by an imperfect fungus (esp. Trichophyton schoenleinii) and characterized by itching and the formation of yellow crusts usually about the hair follicles, esp. on the head
See favus in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(fāˈvəs)
noun
A chronic skin infection, usually of the scalp, caused by fungi of the genus Trichophyton and characterized by the development of thick, yellow crusts over the hair follicles.