05/13/2023    

HEALTHCARE NEWS

First Reported U.S. Cases of Tinea Caused by Trichophyton Indotineae

 

Two cases of highly contagious, drug-resistant ringworm infections have been detected in New York City – the first such cases reported in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. This “infection was first identified in a 47-year-old woman who had developed a bad case of ringworm, also known as tinea, while traveling in Bangladesh,” after “a rash had erupted across most of her body and typical antifungal creams did nothing to alleviate it.” Her “infection turned out to be caused by a relatively new species of ringworm-causing fungus, called Trichophyton indotineae.

 

Trichophyton indotineae

 

Another woman, “had no recent international travel history,” and “neither of the women had underlying health conditions.” The discovery of these “infections is worrying for public health officials as they are the first reported in the U.S., after cases had been reported in Asia, Europe, and Canada.” In particular, “the CDC said the fact that the woman who had no recent international travel history was found to have the infection was alarming, indicating it could be a ‘potential local U.S. transmission.’” As such, “the agency said healthcare providers should be prepared to provide up to 12 weeks of therapy if the fungus that causes the condition is found.

 

Sourec: CDC via NBC News, The Hill via Drs. John Evans and Robert Creighton