First case of sexually transmitted ringworm in the US reported in New York City man

(NewsNation) – Experts are warning healthcare workers to be on the lookout for new and “highly contagious” forms of ringworm.

Previously, a new report by doctors from New York University’s Langone Health team was published in JAMA Dermatology, describing the first case of a sexually transmitted fungal infection reported in the United States.

The report concerns a man in his 30s who, after returning to New York City from a visit to England, Greece and California, developed tinea, commonly known as ringworm, on his penis, buttocks and limbs. Genetic testing of fungal samples taken from the man’s rashes showed that the infection was caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII).

While this has not yet been identified in the United States, the “sexually transmitted form of ringworm” is increasingly being diagnosed across Europe, the report said. In 2023, 13 cases were recorded, most of them involving men who had sex with another man. However, the man in question in the study said that while he had several male partners, none of them reported similar problems.

“Healthcare providers should be aware that Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII is the latest in a group of serious skin infections that has now reached the United States,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Avrom S. Caplan, assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a statement.

Dr. John Zampella, another professor and one of the study’s lead authors, pointed out that infections caused by TMVII can be difficult to treat and may even take months to clear up. However, he said they appear to respond to standard antifungal therapies such as terbinafine.

“Because patients are often hesitant to discuss genital problems, physicians need to ask directly about rashes in the groin and buttocks, especially in sexually active patients who have recently traveled abroad and report itchy spots elsewhere on the body,” Zampella added.

In a New York Post article, Caplan said the scientist’s goal in conducting the study was to raise awareness of the infection.

“The first thing to note is that we have no evidence that this infection is endemic or even widespread in the United States,” Dr. Avrom S. Caplan, who led the investigation into the man’s case, told the Post.