The United States has reported its first case of a sexually transmitted ringworm caused by a rare fungus that is considered highly contagious. According to a new study, the case involves a New York-based man in his 30s.
During his trip to England, Greece and California, he reported having sex with multiple men. Once he came back home, he is said to have developed a red, itchy rash on his legs along with his groin and buttocks.
The case report was published in JAMA Dermatology on Wednesday by NYU Langone Health in New York City. This comes at a time when clinicians worldwide have increasingly spoken about how they are facing trouble treating fungal infections, NBC News reported.
After tests were conducted, it came out that the person had a sexually transmitted fungus, named Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII. This was the first time the fungus was identified in the US.
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A total of 13 such cases were reported in France last year. Among them, 12 were men who have sex with men.
As per reports, the US-based patient's infection responded to standard antifungal medications, however, it ultimately took over four months to heal completely.
At first, the patient was put on fluconazole for four weeks without improvement. Later on, he was on terbinafine for six weeks and approximately eight additional weeks of itraconazole. All these are oral antifungals.
Luckily, the person did not show any other infections that could have made the problem even worse for the doctors.
The latest case in the US should not cause alarm, but raise awareness in the general public, said Dr Avrom Caplan, an assistant professor of dermatology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of the report.
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“There’s no evidence that this is widespread, or that this is something that people need to be worried about... But if people are having itchy eruptions in areas like the groin, and it’s not getting better, see a doctor,” he said.
While the infection seems to have been transmitted through sexual contact, doctors have not ruled out the possibility that the patient acquired the fungus at a sauna he visited two months before his symptoms. It is to be noted that the person informed that his sexual partners did not show any signs of ringworm.
Further, Dr Caplan noted that the rash might look like an eczema flare than usual ringworm infections that form in circles. Though this infection is not life-threatening, it can cause permanent scarring.
During his trip to England, Greece and California, he reported having sex with multiple men. Once he came back home, he is said to have developed a red, itchy rash on his legs along with his groin and buttocks.
The case report was published in JAMA Dermatology on Wednesday by NYU Langone Health in New York City. This comes at a time when clinicians worldwide have increasingly spoken about how they are facing trouble treating fungal infections, NBC News reported.
After tests were conducted, it came out that the person had a sexually transmitted fungus, named Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII. This was the first time the fungus was identified in the US.
ALSO READ | How digital technology is empowering patients and transforming healthcare in India
A total of 13 such cases were reported in France last year. Among them, 12 were men who have sex with men.
As per reports, the US-based patient's infection responded to standard antifungal medications, however, it ultimately took over four months to heal completely.
At first, the patient was put on fluconazole for four weeks without improvement. Later on, he was on terbinafine for six weeks and approximately eight additional weeks of itraconazole. All these are oral antifungals.
Luckily, the person did not show any other infections that could have made the problem even worse for the doctors.
The latest case in the US should not cause alarm, but raise awareness in the general public, said Dr Avrom Caplan, an assistant professor of dermatology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of the report.
ALSO READ | Why India could be the next healthcare innovation hub for the world
“There’s no evidence that this is widespread, or that this is something that people need to be worried about... But if people are having itchy eruptions in areas like the groin, and it’s not getting better, see a doctor,” he said.
While the infection seems to have been transmitted through sexual contact, doctors have not ruled out the possibility that the patient acquired the fungus at a sauna he visited two months before his symptoms. It is to be noted that the person informed that his sexual partners did not show any signs of ringworm.
Further, Dr Caplan noted that the rash might look like an eczema flare than usual ringworm infections that form in circles. Though this infection is not life-threatening, it can cause permanent scarring.
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