Health officials are warning of a new case of possibly sexually transmitted ringworm reported in New York, the first such case in the United States.
Fox News reports that the infection, a rare fungus called trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), was detected in a man in his 30s, who reported having sex with several men while traveling in England, Greece and California, according to a published study. Wednesday in JAMA Dermatology by doctors from NYU Langone Health in New York.
The report said the man developed a red, itchy rash on his penis, legs, as well as his groin and buttocks, after returning from the trip.
He also said the rash resembles eczema, a common condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, as opposed to the typical fungal skin infection of ringworm that forms in circles.
Tests revealed he had the fungus and doctors prescribed standard oral antifungal medication – but it took his body four and a half months to clear it.
The man took fluconazole for four weeks without improvement before switching to terbinafine for six weeks, then itraconazole for eight weeks.
Doctors say he had no other infections that could have made the problem worse.
However, Dr. Avrom Caplan, an assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of the new report, told NBC there was no cause for public alarm.
“There’s no evidence that this is widespread or that this is something that people should really be concerned about,” Caplan told the outlet.
“But if people have itchy rashes in areas like the groin and it doesn’t improve, see a doctor,” he added.
John Zampella, who also co-authored the study, called on doctors to help him identify the fungus.
“As patients are often reluctant to discuss genital problems, doctors should directly ask about rashes around the groin and buttocks, especially in those who are sexually active, have recently traveled abroad and report itchy areas elsewhere on the body,” Zampella said in the statement.
Fox News also reports that the man’s case is the first recorded in the United States and comes as French doctors reported 13 such cases last year, according to a statement announcing the study.
Twelve of these patients were men who have sex with men. The man reported having sex with several male partners during his trip, none of whom reported similar skin problems.
Caplan said the infection was most likely transmitted through sexual contact, but he could not rule out the possibility that he contracted the fungus in a sauna he visited two months before his symptoms appeared, reports NBC.
According to the study, male genital fungus is on the rise in India, consistent with the emergence of a slightly different form of ringworm called Trichophyton indotineae.
Climate, hygiene and bathing practices likely contribute to the spread of this fungus as well as sexual contact.
Health experts warn that the infection causes itchy, contagious rashes similar to those of TMVII and poses a greater challenge for dermatologists because it is often resistant to terbinafine treatment.
