Health
Rare, sexually transmitted ringworm reported in NYC
Health officials are warning about a new case of ringworm likely spread through sex that has been reported in New York City, the first such case in the U.S.
The infection, a rare fungus called trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII), was detected in a man in his 30s who reported having sex with multiple men during a trip to England, Greece and California, according to a study published Wednesday at JAMA Dermatology by doctors at NYU Langone Health in New York City.
When the man returned from his trip, he developed a red, itchy rash on his penis, legs, and across his groin and buttocks. The rash looks similar to eczema, a common condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin, as opposed to the typical ringworm fungal skin infection that forms in circles.
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A person with eczema which looks similar to trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII (TMVII). (BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)
Tests revealed he had the fungus and doctors prescribed him standard antifungal oral medications – but it took his body four and a half months to clear it.
The man took fluconazole for four weeks without improvement before moving on to terbinafine for six weeks and then itraconazole for eight weeks.
Doctors say he did not have any other infections that could have made the problem worse.
Dr. Avrom Caplan, an assistant professor of dermatology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and author of the new report, told NBC that there is no need for the public to be alarmed.
“There’s no evidence that this is widespread, or that this is something that people really need to be worried about,” Caplan told the outlet. “But if people are having itchy eruptions in areas like the groin, and it’s not getting better, see a doctor.”
John Zampella, who also co-authored the study, called on physicians to help identify the fungus.
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The co-author of the study called on physicians to help identify the fungus. (iStock )
“Since patients are often reluctant to discuss genital problems, physicians need to directly ask about rashes around the groin and buttocks, especially for those who are sexually active, have recently traveled abroad, and report itchy areas elsewhere on the body,” Zampella said in the statement.
The man’s case is the first recorded in the U.S. and comes as doctors in France reported 13 such cases last year, according to a statement announcing the study. Twelve of those patients were men who had sex with men. The man said he had sex with multiple male partners during his travels, none of whom reported similar skin issues.
Caplan said the infection was most likely transmitted through sexual contact but he couldn’t rule out the possibility that he picked the fungus up at a sauna he had visited two months prior to his symptoms erupting, NBC reports.
According to the study, male genital fungi have been increasing in India, consistent with the emergence of a slightly different form of ringworm called trichophyton indotineae.
Climate, hygiene and bathing practices likely contribute to the spread of that fungus as well as sexual contact.
Caplan previously identified the first two cases of trichophyton indotineae and since then his team at NYU Langone Health has identified a further nine cases of the ringworm in both men and women in New York City.
The study was conducted by doctors at NYU Langone Health in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)
The infection causes similar itchy and contagious rashes as TMVII and poses a greater challenge for dermatologists since it often resists terbinafine treatment, Caplan said.
“These findings offer new insight into how some of the fungal skin infections spreading from South Asia can evade our go-to therapies,” Caplan said. “Beyond learning to recognize their misleading signs, physicians will need to ensure their treatment addresses each patient’s quality-of-life needs.”
Caplan said that he plans to work with leading fungi experts around the U.S. and internationally over the next few months to expand research efforts and track emerging cases.
Health
Filtered water at specific ages could add months to your lifespan decades later, new study finds
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Drinking filtered water may extend a person’s life by several months, according to a new study.
The research, published in the American Journal of Health Economics, reveals that being exposed to water filtration systems early in life can significantly increase longevity. By analyzing public health infrastructure shifts from the early 20th century, researchers found that city water filtration alone increased the lifespan of older American men by an average of 3.2 months.
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“While water quality has improved in many areas, this study shows the real impacts to communities without access to safe water, both in the U.S. and globally,” co-author Jason Fletcher, a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, said in a press release.
“The consequences on human health are significant.”
“This study shows the real impacts to communities without access to safe water,” the study’s author said in a press release. (iStock)
The team analyzed data from the Social Security Administration’s Death Master Files. They tracked death records for American men born between 1975 and 2005, mapping each individual’s year and city of birth to historical water filtration records.
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By connecting early-life environments to late-life outcomes, the researchers isolated the lifelong impact of clean water.
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Beyond adding months to a person’s life, the study suggests that clean water in childhood sets off a positive chain reaction for socioeconomic and physical development.
The paper is part of a broader research initiative examining how environmental conditions earlier in life shape the modern American lifespan. (iStock)
Additional data from mid-20th-century censuses showed that early exposure to filtered water was linked to increased height, higher education and income levels later in life.
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The paper is part of a broader research initiative called the American Mortality Project, which examines how early-life conditions shape the modern American lifespan.
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The researchers exclusively analyzed historical data from American men, meaning the findings may not fully capture how early-life water filtration impacted the long-term longevity, physical growth, or cognitive scores of women from the same era.
Due to analysis of a limited dataset of American cities, this may not apply to other nations or rural communities. (iStock)
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The data is limited to public health infrastructure changes across U.S. cities during a specific window in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Because of this, the exact timeline and magnitude of the lifespan extension (3.2 months) may not directly translate to modern developing nations, rural communities, or areas with different environments.
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Researchers have found that changing your diet — even later in life — may slow the aging process in as little as one month.
Researchers from the University of Sydney assigned 104 participants aged 65-75 to one of four diets. Two of the diets were omnivorous and included protein from both animals and plants. Two included 70% of protein from plant sources.
One omnivorous diet was high in fat, while the other emphasized carbohydrates. The two semi-vegetarian diets were distinguished in the same way. All four diets derived 14% of energy from protein.
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“Biological age” essentially means how old the body appears based on health indicators, called biomarkers, rather than how many years a person has been alive.
University of Sydney researchers found that diet changes had an effect on people’s biological ages after four weeks. (iStock/Getty Images)
The scientists measured 20 varied biomarkers, including cholesterol and insulin levels, in participants to determine how short-term diet changes affect biological aging.
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“While chronological age increases uniformly, biological aging varies between individuals, reflecting differences in health status and the body’s resilience,” a University of Sydney report on the study’s findings said.
Biomarker profiles “are often considered a better indicator of overall health and potential longevity than chronological age,” according to the report.
Older adults who ate diets rich in complex carbohydrates and plant-based food reduced their biological age, scientists found. (iStock/Getty Images)
The scientists found that, after four weeks, participants’ biological ages in three of the four diet groups dropped. Only the high-fat omnivorous dieters’ biological ages “showed no meaningful change.”
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The study, “Short-Term Dietary Intervention Alters Physiological Profiles Relevant to Ageing,” published in Aging Cell, concluded that the most pronounced improvements came from “diets rich in complex carbohydrates and plant-based components.”
Participants who consumed an omnivorous diet high in fat did not see changes in their biological ages, though all other types of diets reduced theirs in a University of Sydney study. (iStock/Getty Images)
The research team cautioned that these results are preliminary and may represent only short-term effects.
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“It’s too soon to say definitively that specific changes to diet will extend your life,” said Caitlin Andrews, who led the study. “But this research offers an early indication of the potential benefits of dietary changes later in life.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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