11 AUGUST 2026, WASHINGTON, D.C.— Dermatophilosis, a bacterial skin infection characterized by localized skin lesions, is rare in humans and has historically been transmitted through contact with infected animals. Between December 2025 and June 2026, however, several clusters of dermatophilosis due to Dermatophilus congolensis identified in European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Norway, Spain, and Sweden) were associated with possible person-to-person transmission, representing an epidemiologic shift that warrants heightened awareness, surveillance, and preparedness in the Region of the Americas. Departing from the historically described zoonotic pattern, exposure contexts for recent cases have included close physical and sexual contact. These have predominantly occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM) and people reporting having attended venues dedicated to sexual encounters; in Norway, cases appear to be linked to close-contact martial arts. The reported clinical presentation of the illness was generally mild and localized. Clinical manifestations included papules, pustules, vesicles, scaly lesions, crusted lesions, nodules, and folliculitis-like eruptions. These were most frequently affecting the genital, perianal, inguinal, and facial areas, as well as thighs and the trunk. Systemic symptoms were not commonly documented, and most cases improved rapidly and made a full recovery after therapy, which consisted of topical or oral antibiotic treatment. In the Americas, human dermatophilosis is primarily described as a disease in cattle, sheep, goats, and other domestic and wild mammals. Published human cases have been sporadic, including four cases in Brazil associated with zoonotic exposure. Nevertheless, the unusual European cases, the possibility of underdiagnosis, and mass gatherings that may increase close physical interaction support strengthening awareness, surveillance, and preparedness in the Region.
