A new highly contagious fungal strain has hit New York.

Health experts are warning New Yorkers about a new sexually transmitted fungal infection after a man in his 30s developed the infection.

Dr. Avrom S. Caplan issued a warning: “Healthcare providers should be aware that Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII [TMVII] is the latest in a group of severe skin infections to have reached the United States.”

The fungal strain has been called a sexually transmitted form of ringworm after the man infected with it started having rashes similar to those of ringworm.

The man who tested positive for the infection previously had sex with men in England, Greece, and California.

New sexually transmitted fungal infection detected in NYC — first US case https://t.co/OjiUbKWkK3 pic.twitter.com/BBdt5qEuMx

— New York Post (@nypost) June 5, 2024

Check out what The New York Post reported:

Health experts are warning of new and highly contagious fungal strains after an NYC man in his 30s developed a sexually transmitted form of ringworm — the first reported case in the US.

“Healthcare providers should be aware that Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII [TMVII] is the latest in a group of severe skin infections to have now reached the United States,” said Dr. Avrom S. Caplan, an assistant professor in NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s dermatology department.

Caplan co-authored a case study published Wednesday about an unidentified New Yorker who became infected with TMVII, with a rash appearing on his penis, buttocks and limbs. Cases of TMVII have been on the rise in Europe, especially in men who have sex with men.

The man in the new case study had visited England, Greece and California. He reported having sex with men during his travels, none of whom disclosed similar skin issues.

“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 on the body,” study senior author Dr. John G. Zampella advised.

🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING: NEW SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED FUNGAL INFECTION DETECTED IN NYC

Health experts are warning about a new sexually transmitted fungal infection, TMVII, detected in New York City—the first case in the US.

TMVII, or Trichophyton mentagrophytes Genotype VII, can cause… pic.twitter.com/pwx6VX08kM

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) June 5, 2024

NBC News covered the story too:

A sexually transmitted ringworm caused by a rare fungus has been reported for the first time in the United States.

The case report, published Wednesday in JAMA Dermatology by doctors at NYU Langone Health in New York City, comes as clinicians worldwide increasingly say they’re having trouble treating fungal infections.

“We think a lot about antibacterial resistance, but this is a very important time for us to think about anti-fungus resistance,” said Mahmoud Ghannoum, a professor of dermatology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. He was not involved with the new report.

The new case involves a New York City man in his 30s who reported having sex with multiple men during a trip to England, Greece and California. When he got home, he developed a red, itchy rash on his legs and across his groin and buttocks.

🚨 JUST IN: Health experts warn of a new sexually transmitted fungal infection (TMVII) detected in New York City — the first case in the US, reports the NY Post. #HealthAlert #TMVII #NYC #PublicHealth 🚨🦠 pic.twitter.com/Yt4svWWLdH

— 𝕏 (@AlertChannel) June 5, 2024