The rare genital fungus, TMVII, causing jock itch infection, has seen a spike in the count, particularly in sexually active men sharing male partners in New York in the USA.
In June, the first case of infection by the causative fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII (TMVII), was detected in the US. According to a new Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, four more cases were detected between April and June 2024.
As the infected patients infected by the Genital tinea, fungus, in which the skin surrounding the groin, inner thighs and buttocks are affected was found in the men having sexual intercourse with other men in New York, the possibility of transmission through such a medium cannot be ignored.
All the four patients were cisgender men aged 30-39 and were sexually involved with other men. Patients A and D had sexual intercourse and B and C had no known epidemiologic link to anyone infected with TMVII. Patient D was a sex worker. It was reported among men who were involved with men in France since 2021 and previously in men travelling to the Southeast Asia for sex tourism,” the CDC said in a statement.
Jock Itch also called tinea cruris is a fungal skin infection that produces an itchy rash in warm, moist areas such as the groin, inner thighs and buttocks. It may be shaped like a ring. It is curable with the application of antifungal creams, ointments, lotions or powders for upto two to four weeks.