A new type of fungal infection that spreads through sexual contact has been found among four men who have sex with other men in New York City.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the men got sick with a fungus called Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII (TMVII) between April and July 2024. This comes after the first case in the United States was found in June 2024.
“Tinea occurred on the face, buttocks, or genitals and was successfully treated with antifungal medications,” the CDC said of the symptoms and treatment concerning the cases.
“TMVII can cause pruritic, annular, scaly lesions on the trunk, groin, genitals, or face; might be mistaken for eczema, psoriasis, or other dermatologic conditions; and frequently requires oral antifungal therapy,” the CDC said in their report issued Oct. 31.
“Some patients experience inflamed, painful, and persistent lesions that can lead to scarring or secondary bacterial infection.”
The four cases in New York City were men between 30 and 39 years old who had sex with other men. The CDC says one of the men was a sex worker, and another had been to Europe recently. Two of the men had sex with each other.
Treatment
Doctors treated the men with oral antiviral medicine to kill the fungus. Some of them got better with cream medicine, but others needed to take pills. According to the report, taking 250 milligrams of oral terbinafine daily can help treat TMVII infections, with prescriptions ranging from about four weeks to as many as three months for some patients.
The CDC wants doctors to be aware of this new infection, adding that they should start treating patients if they think they might have TMVII, even before tests are confirmed, as it can take weeks to get test results back.
To prevent TMVII from spreading, the CDC advises that people with the infection not let their skin touch other people’s skin where they have the infection. They should also not share personal things like towels until they get better.
TMVII Abroad
Earlier reports of TMVII infections have been cases in Europe and Southeast Asia.
“TMVII infections have been reported among men who have sex with men in France since March 2021 and previously in men who traveled to Southeast Asia for sex tourism,” the CDC said.
“In June 2024, a TMVII case in the United States was reported in a man who developed genital lesions after traveling to several countries in Europe and to California and who had sexual contact with multiple men while traveling.”
The agency also said that more awareness and better testing are needed to prevent TMVII from spreading.
