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Vall d’Hebron detects nine cases of a rare skin infection in Barcelona
Barcelona has detected an unusual outbreak of dermatophilosis, a skin infection previously associated mainly with contact with animals such as livestock or horses. Vall d’Hebron Hospital has identified nine human cases between December 2025 and March 2026, all in men who had had sexual relations with other men.
The patients had mild skin lesions: rashes, papules, nodules or pustular lesions in areas such as the genitals, groin, thighs or beard. None developed complications and all progressed well after receiving antibiotic treatment, an important fact for easing alarm without downplaying the finding.
What has surprised specialists is not only the infection, but the pattern. Those affected had not had recent contact with animals or travelled to areas where this bacterium may be more common. The research points to possible person-to-person transmission through close contact, probably in sexual contexts and in humid environments, such as saunas.
The study, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, indicates that genomic analyses show bacteria that are very closely related to one another and belong to a distinct lineage within the genus Dermatophilus. That genetic clue helps explain why doctors speak of a possible change in the mode of transmission, although data are still lacking to know how far this phenomenon may extend.
Barcelona is not the only point on the map. Researchers have described similar cases in Lyon and Paris, and infections have also been reported in other European countries, including Germany. The coincidence of profiles and contexts has led experts to call for greater clinical attention, because some cases could go unnoticed or be mistaken for other skin lesions.
Doctors insist on two ideas at once: there is no reason for panic, but there is reason to remain watchful. The infection appears mild and treatable, but its appearance in human networks requires recognising it earlier, asking properly about contacts and preventing it from becoming an underdiagnosed dermatosis.
The recommendations are simple: seek advice for unusual skin lesions, do not share towels or razors, take extra care with hygiene in humid spaces and avoid direct contact with wounds or rashes. It is also worth saying plainly: reporting on the pattern of transmission must not become stigma. Health surveillance works better when people go to the doctor without fear of being singled out.
Vall d’Hebron has been able to identify these cases because it has teams specialised in infectious diseases and microbiological diagnosis. The warning leaves a fairly clear lesson for Barcelona and other major cities: some rare infections do not appear suddenly with a major alarm, but with small lesions which, if no one looks closely, can be dismissed as something minor.