Warning as doctors discover ringworm is passed through SEX - as New York man seeks help for telltale rash in first-ever case READ MORE: Could YOU tell a harmless rash from a fatal illness? By Alexa Lardieri U.S. Deputy Health Editor Dailymail.
Com Published: 16:41 BST, 5 June 2024 | Updated: 16:48 BST, 5 June 2024 e-mail 8 View comments Doctors are sounding the alarm over the spread of a highly contagious rare fungal infection that spreads through sex — after treating a man who developed a rash on his penis, thighs and buttocks. The New York patient is the first documented case of the fungus being passed through sexual contact. The infection, which is a rare type of ringworm, has been described by the New York University experts as a 'potential public health threat'.
Ringworm — sometimes referred to as 'jock itch' when it affects the groin — is a common mold-like parasite that lives on the body and is spread via contact with an infected person. Symptoms of ringworm typically appear within four to 14 days after exposure and include an itchy rash that is circular in appearance, as well as redness, flakiness, peeling or cracking of the skin The condition can be extremely hard to cure, often taking months to treat with multiple medications and therapies. The patient was a man in his thirties who visited the doctor because he developed a rash on his penis, thighs and buttocks after having multiple male sexual partners in the weeks prior.
After taking a skin biopsy of his rash.
