Authorities are raising the alarm about a highly contagious fungal infection that is increasingly spread through sex.
Doctors wrote in a CDC report last week that ringworm, a common mold-like parasite that lives in the body, is now found in people after sexual contact.
The report details four cases in New York City detected between April and July 2024, an increase from a single case recorded in June.
The male patients, who had sex with several men in recent weeks, had itchy rashes on the patient’s buttocks, groin, abdomen and, in one case, the corner of the patient’s mouth.
Tests showed they had been infected with Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), which infests the skin and is transmitted by physical contact.
The condition can be extremely difficult to cure, as it often takes more than a month to treat and patients must take multiple medications and therapies.
It is not fatal, but can leave permanent scarring or pigmentation in infected areas of skin.
The first patient case study conducted in June indicated that while ringworm had previously been observed in the groin, it was the first case of it being transmitted to that area through sexual contact.
Identified as Patient A in the case report, this man reported having sexual relations with Patient D in the case report, who was a sex worker.
Patient B (pictured above) did not report having contact with anyone who knew they had the condition, but recently traveled to Europe, where cases have been increasing.
In last week’s report, doctors called it an “emerging infection that is transmitted through sex.”
TMVII can infect the skin, hair, nails, and groin or anal area. It can also be transmitted through contaminated surfaces, such as showers or shared barber clippers.
However, New York researchers warned that the rashes experienced by people infected with this type of ringworm may present differently than more common ringworm and could be confused with eczema, leaving patients without relief for months.
The patients, identified with the letters AD, were all homosexual or bisexual men in their 30s, who had recently had multiple male sexual partners.
Patients A and D reported sexual contact with each other and Patient D was identified as a sex worker.
Patients B and C reported no known contact with a partner with the condition, but Patient B had recently traveled to Europe, where there has been an increase in infections.
Those patients also had HIV, while patient D had a history of cancer.
One man suffered a rash on his buttocks, while a second had an itchy rash covering his knee, trunk, arm and penis.
A third reported a rash on their knee, buttocks and groin, and a fourth said they had an itchy rash on the side of their mouth.
Eventually, each of them was successfully treated with antifungals, although in one case it took up to eight weeks for the rash to begin to improve.
Patient D (pictured above) was identified as a sex worker who had contact with Patient A.
The cases follow the June report of a New York City man diagnosed with TMVII.
The patient, also a gay or bisexual man in his 30s, was suffering from a rash on his penis, thighs and buttocks after having multiple male sexual partners in the previous weeks.
Lead author Dr. Avrom Caplan, who reported the infection at the time and a professor at New York University School of Medicine, said: “Healthcare providers should be aware that Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII is “the latest in a group of serious skin infections to reach the United States.” USA.’
June’s patient reported a recent trip to England and Greece, where he reported having sexual relations with several men.
The study’s lead author, Dr. John Zampella, also a professor at New York University School of Medicine, said: “Since patients are often reluctant to talk about genital problems, doctors should ask directly about the rashes around the groin and buttocks, especially in those who are sexually active.” I have recently traveled abroad and report itching in other parts of my body.
The man was initially given antifungal medication for four weeks but saw no improvement and then received another antifungal treatment for six weeks.
However, “due to a persistent infection,” she was given a third antifungal for several more weeks until the rash cleared up.
Following the report of the case, New York University researchers alerted the New York State Department of Health and plan to partner with leading fungal experts around the world to expand research efforts into newer fungal conditions and track emerging cases.
