Minnesota is epicenter of nation’s “largest known outbreak” of sexually transmitted ringworm, health officials say

Minnesota is in the midst of what state health officials call the nation’s “largest known outbreak” of TMVII, a sexually transmitted fungal skin infection that can cause severe ringworm.

TMVII, or trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII, is the only known fungal-based sexually transmitted disease, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, and it’s treatable with oral antifungals.

The first case was reported in New York City in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with Minnesota’s first reported case in July 2025, when a patient sought treatment for a genital rash. 

The health department says there are now “more than 30 confirmed or suspected cases” in the Twin Cities metro area, and other scattered cases in larger U.S. cities. It’s most prevalent among men who have sex with men.

Symptoms include ringworm on the arms, buttocks, genitals and legs, which appear as “round, coin-like rashes that are red and irritated, sometimes with bumps and pimples on top,” according to the department. The rashes can be painful, and could lead to scarring and more serious infections.

People who are diagnosed with TMVII are urged by health officials to inform their sexual partners, and to avoid skin-to-skin contact — sexual or otherwise — until finished with treatment, which can last up to three months. People with symptoms are also urged not to share clothing and other personal items.

Find more information on TMVII on the health department’s website.