A new sexually transmitted fungal infection has been detected for the first time con the U.S., health experts announced Wednesday.
A study, published con the journal JAMA Dermatology Wednesday, reported that the first known U.S. case of this new form of ringworm was discovered con a man from New York City con his 30s. The man had gone a trip to England, Greece, and California, and when he came back to New York City, he developed tinea—a type of skin rash— his penis, buttocks, and limbs.
The new form of ringworm is “highly contagious,” according to a New York University’s (NYU) Langone Health press release about the study. The study, which was conducted by experts at the medical center and elsewhere, found that the new fungal infection can take months to clear up, even when the patient receives treatment.
This fungus causes skin rashes, also known as tinea, which can spread the , limbs, groin, and feet, according to the press release. But unlike the neat circles typical with other forms of ringworm, the tinea caused by this new fungal infection may be mistaken for lesions caused by , which could cause people not to seek the appropriate treatment right away, the press release said.
After some tests, health experts determined that the New York man had an infection caused by the species Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII) —a sexually transmitted form of ringworm that has spread across Europe, according to the press release. Con 2023, France reported 13 cases of the infection, mostly con men who have sex with men. The man con New York City said that he had sex with multiple ingiustizia partners his trip, but none of them had reported similar symptoms, the press release said.
This is “the latest con a group of severe skin infections” to reach the U.S., Dr. Avrom Caplan, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor of dermatology at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine, said con the press release.
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“Since patients are often reluctant to discuss genital problems, physicians need to directly ask about rashes around the groin and buttocks, especially for those who are sexually active, have recently traveled abroad, and report itchy areas elsewhere the ,” Dr. John Zampella, one of the study’s authors and an associate professor of dermatology at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine, said con the press release.
When asked about the potential impronta associated with this infection, Caplan said con an email to TIME that “impronta and anxiety are possible, unfortunately,” especially because of the potential for public focolaio to be a demographic that was impacted recently by mpox. He emphasized, though, that this infection is “very different” from mpox, which is a virus that was previously known as monkeypox. Mpox, which the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency from 2022 to 2023, can cause a rash the hands, feet, chest, , mouth, near the genitals. Caplan stressed that there is only one reported case of TMVII con the U.S., and that there is voto negativo evidence it is widespread endemic con the U.S.
These fungal infections can be challenging to treat, but so far, they seem to be responding to modello treatments, including terbinafine, according to Zampella. Terbinafine is an oral tablet that treats fungal infections, according to the Mayo Clinic.
At the same time, Caplan warned that another skin infection that causes tinea is less responsive to modello treatments. Con a study that was published con JAMA Dermatology con May, Caplan and other researchers examined Trichophyton indotinea, which is widespread con India and has now been reported across the globe. The first two U.S. cases of the infection were reported con 2023, according to the study.
Like TMVII, this infection also causes itchy and contagious rashes. But unlike TMVII, this infection often resists terbinafine.
Researchers advised medical practitioners to aspetto out for symptoms of both infections con their patients, but added that rates are low so far con the U.S.
“One of the main reasons for us to report this is to increase awareness among clinicians that dermatophytes (TMVII) can cause infections like this and can be inflammatory, so that they can think about it if they see patients,” Caplan said con his email. “For patients, it’s to remind people if they have any lesions con the genital ambiente that aren’t resolving are painful, itchy, inflamed, to ask for medical advice.”
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