CNN.com: First US Cases of Treatment-Resistant Ringworm Found in Patients in New York City
CNN.com recently interviewed Priya Soni, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s, about a highly contagious, drug-resistant form of ringworm and how to avoid the fungal infection.
Ringworm is caused by a fungus that creates a scaly, itchy ring-shaped rash. It spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or animal and typically is treated with antifungal medications.
In mid-May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had identified two cases of ringworm in New York City in the past two years that were caused by a newly discovered drug-resistant fungus, Trichophyton indotineae.
Because the infected patients are not related and one had not traveled to a foreign country, the fungus could be more widespread in the U.S. than originally thought, Soni told CNN.com. She urged medical providers to be aware of this type of ringworm, especially as temperatures get warmer.
“Any kind of ringworm really flourishes in warm, moist environments, especially in locker rooms, indoor pools, that kind of thing,” Soni told CNN.com. “I think with globalization and the travel that we’re going to see over the summer, this may be something that we see more of as the months go on.”
Though these skin infections are not life-threatening, Soni explained that the biggest concern is that the rash may be “intrinsically resistant to some of our more common antifungals.”
To avoid an infection, Soni advised against sharing any personal items —such as clothes, combs and hats. She also recommended avoiding close contact with those who have ringworm.
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