Ringworm infections are often self-limiting, clearing up in 6 to 8 weeks whether they are treated, or not. But this is not always the case and there are cats who have very persistent problems with ringworm. In addition, many of the cats who no longer have ringworm lesions are still carriers of the disease. For this reason, we favor treatment of cats when we grow ringworm organisms from cultures. It would not surprise me if the infections that both you and your husband had came from contact with your cat.
Ringworm is considered to be a zoonotic disease, or one that can be transferred from pets to humans.
The ringworm most commonly carried by cats is Microsporum canis. There are other ringworm infections that come from the soil. In the case of one of these infections it is more likely that everyone was exposed to the same source, rather than a transfer of the infection from the cat to the human members of the family. It is usually recommended to continue systemic therapy with griseofulvin for six to eight weeks in order to eliminate the infection. To do this, a new toothbrush is used to brush a wide area of the haircoat and then the bristles are cultured for the ringworm organism.