Minnesota health officials are tracking a growing cluster of an unusual fungal skin infection that spreads through close physical contact and, in some cases, sexual activity.
According to Fox News, the illness is caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII, or TMVII, a strain in the same family as the fungus responsible for ringworm.
Patients typically develop round, red rashes that can spread across the body and become itchy or painful, according to the state health alert.
“TMVII is a specific type of fungus that is part of a larger family that causes the usually benign but irksome conditions such as ringworm, jock itch and athlete’s foot,” Dr. Hayden Andrews, an infectious disease expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.
“The symptoms are similar to that of the usual cases of ringworm or jock itch and depend on the part of the body that became infected,” he went on. “These usually manifest as round, itchy spots that may have a rough appearance and could be mistaken as eczema.”
Minnesota confirmed its first TMVII case in July 2025. Since then, officials have identified 13 additional confirmed infections and 27 suspected cases.
The strain was first detected in the United States in New York in 2024, and federal health officials have since documented cases in multiple cities.
State investigators created an enhanced surveillance system after patients began identifying others with similar symptoms.
“This suggests it is spreading in networks and thus can cause outbreaks,” the Minnesota Department of Health said.
Health experts say the fungus can pass through direct skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, as well as through contaminated items like shared towels or communal shower surfaces.
Todd Wills, MD, of the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, described TMVII as the only identified fungal sexually transmitted disease.
“The populations currently at greatest risk are men who have sex with men and commercial sex workers; however, the infection can be spread from any infected individual,” he said.
Diagnosis is often based on how the rash looks and whether it fails to respond to standard over-the-counter creams.
“Diagnosis is often made based on the appearance of the rash and its lack of responsiveness to typical over-the-counter antifungal medications,” Wills said. He added that lab testing may involve a skin scraping, though treatment often begins before results return.
Doctors say TMVII cases in Minnesota appear different not because of the fungus itself but because of how it is spreading.
“The cases in Minnesota, and previously in New York in 2024, were spread by sexual contact and genetically found to be TMVII. This suggests it is spreading in networks and thus can cause outbreaks,” Andrews said.
While common fungal infections often clear with topical treatments, this strain frequently requires oral antifungal medication for several weeks.
“While routine cases of ringworm or athlete’s foot typically resolve with antifungal creams in a few days, we are finding that TMVII often requires antifungal pills, sometimes for several weeks for complete resolution,” Andrews said. “Fortunately, our current antifungal medications appear to work against TMVII.”
Health officials are urging people with symptoms to avoid close contact, stop sharing personal items and wash linens on high heat.
Anyone who develops a persistent rash is advised to seek medical care, and providers are being asked to report suspected cases for testing.
