Gupta Aditya K, Liddy Amanda, Megal Lee, Kaplan Baruch, Shemer Avner, Saunte Ditte Marie L, Wang Tong
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Mediprobe Research Inc, London, Ontario, Canada.
Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70088. doi: 10.1111/myc.70088.
Sexually transmitted dermatophyte infections are an emerging public health concern, with increasing incidence reported across multiple countries. These infections are mainly spread through direct skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity and are more commonly found in individuals with high-risk sexual practices. The likelihood of infection is heightened by frequent pubic hair grooming or regular use of shared spaces like gyms and saunas. Clinically, presentations are often severe, widespread and atypical, which may delay diagnosis or lead to misidentification. Accurate species-level identification is critical and increasingly reliant on molecular sequencing techniques, including ITS and tef1α regions, which are also valuable for strain surveillance and contact tracing. Management strategies should emphasise systemic antifungal therapy, with consideration for adjunctive topical agents or antibiotics in cases of secondary infection. Individualised treatment plans may require extended therapy durations or combination regimens to ensure clinical resolution. In addition to pharmacologic intervention, education on hygiene practices, risk of reinfection and the importance of environmental decontamination and follow-up care is essential for preventing recurrence and curbing transmission.
性传播皮肤癣菌感染是一个新出现的公共卫生问题，多个国家报告其发病率在上升。这些感染主要通过性活动期间的直接皮肤接触传播，在有高危性行为的个体中更常见。频繁修剪阴毛或经常使用健身房和桑拿浴室等共享空间会增加感染的可能性。临床上，表现通常严重、广泛且不典型，这可能会延迟诊断或导致误诊。准确的菌种水平鉴定至关重要，并且越来越依赖分子测序技术，包括ITS和tef1α区域，这些区域对于菌株监测和接触者追踪也很有价值。管理策略应强调全身抗真菌治疗，对于继发感染的病例可考虑辅助使用局部用药或抗生素。个体化治疗方案可能需要延长治疗时间或联合用药方案以确保临床治愈。除了药物干预外，关于卫生习惯、再感染风险以及环境去污和后续护理的重要性的教育对于预防复发和控制传播至关重要。
