A warning has been issued due to the spread of new genital fungi in New York City

Officials are raising the alarm over a highly contagious fungal infection that is increasingly spreading through sex.

Doctors wrote in a CDC report last week that ringworm, a common fungus-like parasite that lives on the body, is now being found in humans after sexual contact.

The report details four cases in New York City discovered between April and July 2024 — an increase from just one case recorded in June.

The male patients – who had all had sex with multiple men in recent weeks – had an itchy rash on the buttocks, groin, abdomen and in one case on the corner of a patient’s mouth.

Tests showed they were infected with trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), which attacks the skin and is spread through physical contact.

The condition can be extremely difficult to cure, with treatment often taking more than a month and requiring patients to take multiple medications and therapies.

It is not fatal, but can leave people with permanent scars or pigment spots on areas of the skin that are infected.

The first patient case study in June stated that while ringworm has been seen on the groin before, this was the first time ringworm had been transmitted to the area through sexual contact.

Identified as patient A in the case report, this man reported having sex with patient D in the case report, who was a sex worker

Patient B (pictured above) reported having had no contact with anyone who knowingly had the condition, but had recently traveled to Europe, where cases were increasing

In last week’s report, doctors called it an “emerging infection that spreads through sex.”

TMVII can infect the skin, hair, nails, and the groin or anal area. It can also be spread through contaminated surfaces such as shower stalls or shared hairdressing scissors.

However, the New York researchers warned that the rash experienced by people infected with this type of ringworm may present differently from the more common ringworm and could be mistaken for eczema, leaving patients without relief for months.

The patients, identified by the letters AD, were all gay or bisexual men in their 30s who had recently had multiple male sexual partners.

Patients A and D reported sexual contact with both, and Patient D was identified as a sex worker.

Patients B and C reported no known contact with a partner who had the condition, but Patient B had recently traveled to Europe, where an increase in infections was recorded.

These patients also had HIV, while patient D had a history of cancer.

One man developed a rash on his buttocks, while a second had an itchy rash covering his knee, torso, arm and penis shaft.

A third reported a rash on his knee, buttocks and groin, and a fourth said he had an itchy rash on the side of his mouth.

All were eventually successfully treated with antifungal medications, 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, developed 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 is a professor at NYU’s School of Medicine, said: ‘Healthcare providers should be aware that Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII is the latest in a group of serious skin infections that have now reached the United States. States.’

The June patient reported recent trips to England and Greece, where he said he had sex with several men.

Senior author of the study, Dr. John Zampella, also a professor at NYU Medical School, said: ‘Since patients are often reluctant to discuss genital problems, doctors should ask directly about rashes around the groin and buttocks, especially for those who are sexually active. have recently traveled abroad and report itchy areas elsewhere on the body.’

The man was initially given an antifungal medication for four weeks, but saw no improvement and was then given a six-week course of another antifungal medication.

But “due to a persistent infection,” he was given a third antifungal medication for several weeks until the rash cleared.

Following the case report, the NYU researchers alerted the New York State Department of Health and plan to work with leading mold experts around the world to expand research efforts on newer fungal diseases and identify emerging cases.