Minnesota is currently experiencing what its health department calls the nation’s largest known outbreak of Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VI, or TMVII. It’s a new kind of fungal skin infection associated with sexual contact that can cause severe ringworm.
TMVII presents as circular rashes on the arms, abdomen, genitals and legs that may be red and irritated.
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The first case of TMVII in the U.S. was reported in New York in June 2024, when a man was infected following European travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said European cases circulated among men who have sexual contact with other men.
Now, Minneapolis and the Twin Cities Metropolitan area have an outbreak of their own.
Minneapolis outbreak
The Minnesota Health Department reported the first case in July 2025, when a resident sought treatment for a genital rash. Since then, the state has seen another 13 confirmed cases and 27 suspected cases.
“The first cases of TMVII in Minnesota were identified by astute clinicians who proactively notified the health department and requested confirmatory testing,” the department said in a news release. “In response to several individuals seeking care and providing information on other individuals that may also have been infected, MDH established an enhanced surveillance system to identify cases in Minnesota.”
While the state department is calling the outbreak the nation’s largest, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota said “It’s unclear if the cluster of cases in Minnesota is the largest known outbreak in the country, since TMVII is a not a reportable infection and other US jurisdictions don’t have good surveillance data.”
Response and prevention
In response to the recent outbreak, state health advisers are encouraging Minnesotans who see signs of TMVII to seek treatment immediately. Oral antifungal medications are a common treatment, with some patients taking them for up to three months.
Without prompt treatment, the infection can worsen and lead to scarring.
Anyone with a rash is urged to inform sexual partners, avoid skin-to-skin contact and avoid sharing personal items like clothing, towels and bedding.
