A difficult-to-treat ‘genital super fungus’ is likely already silently spreading in the UK, experts warned today.
Cases of the contagious infection dubbed a ‘potential public health threat’ have already been reported in New York.
Known medically as trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), the rare type of ringworm has previously been spotted across Southeast Asia and Europe, with doctors in France recording 13 cases nationwide in 2023 alone.
But experts said the condition, which often causes painful rashes across the genitals, thighs and buttocks, was ‘very likely’ to have ‘already spread’ undetected in Britain.
Lab tests to confirm cases of the ‘slow growing bug’ can take up to three weeks for results to come back, they warned.
The condition itself can lurk in the body for days before causing tell-tale symptoms, too.
Dr David Denning, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Manchester, told MailOnline it was ‘very likely that there are undetected cases’ in the UK, ‘particularly those in the early stages’.
He added: ‘Today if you had a rash on your chest or your back, you might not bother to deal with it for a week or two.
According to the New York cases, the patients, identified by letters A-D. Pictured, patient A
Known medically as trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), it is a rare type of ringworm. Pictured, patient B
‘If you were to go to a doctor and they prescribe something like a steroid or antibacterial cream but it doesn’t work, we could be looking at six to eight weeks since it began.
‘But you could have transmitted it in the first two or three weeks to a partner or a friend that you gave a big hug to, went swimming with.
‘They would then get it and you’d start a cycle.
‘It’s likely no more transmissable than other skin fungi but it is very inflammatory meaning you get a much worse rash and usual treatments don’t work.
‘We’ve seen cases in France, Germany, Canada, previously, as well as in the Middle East, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
‘There’s a large number of people in this country that would have gone back and forward from these countries for work, relationships and weddings for instance.’
Dr Neil Stone, a consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology at University College London Hospitals also told MailOnline: ‘It is inevitably going to spread worldwide including in the UK and it’s up to doctors to recognise them and do the appropriate testing and seek treatment advice from specialists.
‘We also need to increase research into the diagnosis and management of these emerging infections.
Experts said the condition, which often causes painful rashes across the genitals, thighs and buttocks, was ‘very likely’ to have ‘already spread’ undetected in Britain
‘Historically fungal infection have been neglected leaving us with few treatment options.’
It comes as US health officials in June confirmed one man in New York had become the first ever to contract the infection via sex in the US.
He previously travelled to England, Greece and California, and said he had sexual encounters during his trips.
But, the unnamed patient said, he did not notice similar skin conditions in any of his partners.
Earlier this month US health officials also reported that a further three cases had been detected in the city.
While not fatal, TMVII can leave sufferers with permanent scarring or pigmentation on areas of the skin that were infected.
The New York researchers warned the rashes experienced by people infected with this type of ringworm may also present differently than the more common ringworm and could be mistaken for eczema, leaving patients without relief for months.
Experts today also cautioned ‘very long waiting lists’ for NHS dermatology treatment and ‘long waits’ for PCR test results could see at risk patients waiting weeks before the infection is confirmed.
Patient D (pictured above) was identified as a sex worker who had contact with patient A
Dr Denning told MailOnline: ‘The NHS waiting list for dermatology treatment is very long.
‘You also have to take a culture and send it off to one of the fungal laboratories to identify it, which typically takes three weeks.
‘There are some fast molecular tests, PCR tests, which could be used, but they’re far from routine in Britain.
‘There’s only one or two labs doing those things.
‘Then to be sure that it’s resistant to the anti antifungals, you have to do a sensitivity test.
And only one or two labs in the country that do those tests at the moment.
‘So it is going to be an increasing problem. It will get into the general population of Britain, and we’ll end up with it being transmitted in Britain.’
According to the New York cases, the patients, identified by letters A-D, were all gay or bisexual men in their 30s, who had recently had multiple male sexual partners.
Patients A and D reported sexual contact with each and patient D was identified as a sex worker.
Patients B and C reported no known contact with a partner who had the condition, but patient B had recently traveled to Europe.
Each was eventually successfully treated with antifungals, although in one case it did take up to eight weeks for the rash to begin to improve.
