A hard-to-treat form of ringworm can be transmitted sexually and has now been found in the US
A difficult-to-treat form of ringworm can be sexually transmitted and has now been found in the United States. Ringworm, also known as tinea, is a skin infection caused by a variety of fungi. In this case, the culprit is a fungus called Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII). It has previously been reported in Southeast Asia and Europe. In 2023, for example, doctors in Paris published a case series of 13 infections reported among men in the city. These recent cases occurred among men who have sex with men, suggesting that the fungus may now be circulating in this demographic, although anyone can become infected.