VIDEO - First US cases of drug-resistant ringworm discovered in New York City, CDC says | KPIC

by JILLIAN SMITH | The National Desk

Pictured is a hospital bed at the McLaren Northern hospital in Petoskey, Michigan, on Dec. 28, 2022. (UpNorthLive News)

WASHINGTON (TND) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that two cases of a highly contagious drug-resistant ringworm have been confirmed in the U.S.

While most cases of ringworm — also known as “tinea” — do not lead to severe illness, it can cause an intensely itchy rash that forms a ring. The infections are usually treated with anti-fungal creams but in the two cases discovered in New York City, it wasn't enough to get the rash to go away.

According to a newly released CDC report, the first known infection was in a 28-year-old woman, “Patient A,” who developed a widespread rash in the summer of 2021. The patient did not report any recent international travel, which indicates “potential local U.S. transmission," according to the report.

“Patient B” was a 47-year-old woman who began to see symptoms after traveling to Bangladesh in the summer of 2022. It's believed that's where she was infected with the relatively new species of the fungus — T. indotineae — that causes ringworm. The woman’s son and husband, who live in the same house, are undergoing evaluation after reporting similar rashes.

Both women experienced rashes across much of their bodies, including the chest, neck, abdomen, thighs and buttocks. They were treated with multiple anti-fungal medications but additional, more aggressive treatments had to be administered under a doctor's care.

Researchers are now urging healthcare providers to consider if their patients may be infected with the new fungus, especially when symptoms don’t improve after the usual topical treatments or oral terbinafine. Officials say if doctors suspect an infection, they should contact their state or local public health department for testing.

The CDC also says that it’s working with research partners, state and local health departments and other federal agencies to address issues surrounding antimicrobial resistance, which could present a serious public health concern as it persists.

While these are the first cases identified in the U.S., in a report published in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology, researchers say the spread of the fungus is emerging as a global health threat — particularly in areas like South Asia. Cases have also been identified in Europe and Canada.