Rain rot is the ‘crusty and scabby’ STI spreading across Europe

The disease is typically found in animals but health officials believe it could be emerging as a sexually transmitted infection (Picture: Getty/Metro)

Catching diseases from animals is rare, but not impossible; you only have to look as far as the Hantavirus outbreak for confirmation of that.

But in an equally unlikely turn of events, cases of ‘rain rot‘ have been increasing among a small number of sexually active men, despite normally occurring in sheep, horses and cows.

Otherwise known as dermatophilosis, the skin condition has caught the attention of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after it reported on nine cases of men with the disease diagnosed in Barcelona.

All men who presented with rain rot reported they’d been having sex with other men, suggesting this possible STD is disproportionately affecting the gay community. Cases have also been reported in Lyon, Paris, and Germany.

But what on earth is rain rot, and can it actually be labelled a sexually transmitted disease? And what are the symptoms if you’re worried you could be affected?

We asked a doctor to find out…

What is ‘rain rot’ and what are the symptoms?

It’s medical name is dermatophilosis, and it’s a skin infection which Dr Lawrence Cunningham tells Metro is caused by a bacteria called Dermatophilus congolensis.

This condition has earned the name rain rot because of its prevalence in more tropical regions and how closely the infection tracks with damp weather.

‘But what makes this bacterium unusual is its ability to survive in both wet and dry conditions,’ Dr Cunningham, for UK Care Guide, explains.

The red bumps are found on the face as well as the genitals (Picture: CDC)

In terms of symptoms, they aren’t hugely serious, however they can cause discomfort.

‘What rain rot does is create crusty, scabby patches on the skin that can get quite uncomfortable if left alone,’ Dr Cunningham says.

In the men diagnosed in Europe, they experienced an itchy folliculitis-like rash characterised by papules (solid raised bumps), vesicles (small fluid-filled sacs or blisters), pustules (puss-filled pimples), scabs, nodules (abnormal lumps), or even scaly lesions.

Of course, these are unpleasant but this is often as serious as the condition gets, with complications being few and far between.

‘The main concern is a secondary bacterial infections if the skin gets badly damaged, particularly from scratching the affected areas,’ the doctor adds.

‘Left untreated, there’s a small risk of the infection reaching deeper tissues, but with proper medical attention, serious complications are rare.

How does it transfer from human to human?

Usually infection of humans will happen due to direct contact with an infected animal, known as a zoonotic infection, according to health officials.

This means people working with livestock are particularly vulnerable, with Dr Cunningham noting: ‘People handling animals without gloves, grooming them, treating wounds, are the ones most at risk.’

The red bumps can be itchy but it’s important not to scratch (Picture: CDC)

But the bacteria can also survive on surfaces like contaminated brushes, grooming tools and horse tack, so you could pick it up there, too.

‘From what I’ve seen, it’s almost always farm workers or vets who pick it up, and usually after repeated or prolonged contact rather than a single brief touch,’ the doctor explains.

‘But most clinicians could go their entire career without seeing a confirmed case. I’ve only come across a small handful myself.’

However, none of the human cases reported by the CDC involve animal exposure, with the government body pointing to the infection being ‘sexually acquired’.

A human catching rain rot from another human is even rarer, although Dr Cunningham says this could happen though direct skin-to-skin contact.

‘Given these recent reports about transmission in certain communities, I’dpoint to intimate contact. Prolonged skin-to-skin exposure where the bacteria has enough time to transfer and take hold.’

All men in the study had high exposure to STIs, several patients reported partners with similar symptoms, and lesions were commonly located in sites exposed during sexual contact.

Attendance at a sexual venue could also be a factor in this outbreak with eight patients reporting visiting a sauna, where humid conditions would favour the bacteria.

This means it could technically fall under the STI umbrella, although this doesn’t mean it behaves like the likes of chlamydia or gonorrhoea.

What’s the treatment and should you be worried?

The incubation period for rain rot is typically one to four weeks after exposure, with people seeing symptoms within the first two weeks. In the case of the outbreak, symptoms typically occurred around the six day mark.

But Dr Cunningham stresses that it’s important not to panic, because this disease isn’t anything you need to be worried about.

‘Doctors can diagnose it through skin samples or bacterial cultures,’ he says. ‘It’s straightforward testing, and most labs can identify the bacteria without difficulty.

‘Antibiotics are the best way to treat this initially, and they work well when you catch it early.

‘Depending on how widespread the infection is, that could mean topical antibiotic creams for localised patches or oral antibiotics for more extensive cases.’

Ultimately, Dr Cunnginham wants you to know that Dermatophilosis is very treatable and still quite rare, and public awareness means just means you’re more likely to seek help early, which is exactly what makes the difference.

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