Skin problems are easy to shrug off as irritation, dryness, or something you “probably reacted to.”
Most of us reach for a cream and assume it will fade on its own. But every now and then, an infection behaves differently—harder to treat, quicker to spread, and surprisingly persistent.
A growing problem doctors didn’t see coming
Across the UK, dermatology teams are reporting a sharp rise in a fungal infection that doesn’t respond to the usual treatments.
It’s caused by Trichophyton indotineae, a drug-resistant form of ringworm first identified in South Asia and now increasingly seen in European clinics.
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Researchers at the UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory have warned that this particular strain now accounts for a large share of dermatophyte samples being analysed—an increase of several hundred percent in just a few years.
Why this fungus spreads so easily
Unlike typical ringworm, which responds well to standard antifungal creams, this mutation has evolved resistance to terbinafine, the most commonly used medication.
That means infections often linger, worsen, or spread to new parts of the body before diagnosis.
Specialists from Imperial College London note that early symptoms can look deceptively similar to eczema or psoriasis, which increases the risk of misclassification.
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What the infection actually looks like
Doctors describe the rash as inflamed, itchy, and often sharply bordered, especially around areas with friction and moisture. Because it spreads through direct contact, households can experience multiple cases before understanding what they are dealing with.
Common signs include:
• persistent red or scaly patches in the groin, thighs, or buttocks
• irritation that worsens with heat or sweat
• spreading rings or irregular patches rather than isolated spots
• secondary infections if the skin becomes broken
Why it matters now
Hospitals in the UK and Ireland have seen infections rise from just a few dozen cases before 2022 to well over 250 this year, according to data presented at a recent European mycology conference.
Fungal specialists, including those at the University of Manchester, warn that while many cases currently appear in people with South Asian heritage—likely due to early international spread—there is growing concern the fungus will become more common across the wider population.
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Itraconazole remains one of the only effective treatments, but it requires monitoring due to potential effects on the liver and heart, meaning prolonged infections can become both physically and socially disruptive for patients.
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