Among the world's idyllic coastlines, one stands out in Mexico – the Tower of Babel Beach. This beach, named by the medical community in the 21st century, is located 259 kilometers southeast of Mérida, the capital of Yucatán. The Tower of Babel Beach, situated on the Yucatán Peninsula, is known as a gateway for new pathogens, including an Indian fungus causing ringworm or skin lesions, which is genetically resistant to pharmacological treatment.

The name "Tower of Babel" harks back to the biblical story of the same name. In this tale, men, who initially spoke one language, decided to construct a tower reaching the heavens in Babel, a city in the land of Shinar (now identified as Babylon and Mesopotamia). Observing the unity of men, God made them speak different languages, leading to misunderstandings and the eventual abandonment of the tower. The city of Babylon, known in Greek and Akkadian as Bav-ilim or "Gate of the gods," was founded around 2334 BC and was the most renowned city in Mesopotamia (now Iraq), in Asia.

The Story Behind the Name of the Tower of Babel Beach

Four millennia and 12,124 km away in America, lies the Tower of Babel Beach: Tulum. This tourist haven is famous for being the "only Mayan city by the sea". Tulum, in the Riviera Maya, has become a popular destination for young people to live and work. It has been dubbed the "Tower of Babel" beach, a place where people from around the world converge, potentially facilitating the spread of various contagious diseases.

First Case of Ringworm by Trichophyton Indotineae in Latin America

In a report titled "First case report of tinea corporis caused by Trichophyton indotineae in Latin America", researchers refer to Tulum as the "Tower of Babel" beach. The report details the case of a 21-year-old Argentine woman who sought medical help for skin lesions on both buttocks and the front of her thighs, which she had been suffering from for six months. The woman had spent the last 18 months in Tulum, Mexico, and despite taking antifungal treatment for three months, the skin lesions persisted.

At the hospital, a blood test confirmed that her liver and kidneys were functioning correctly. A skin sample was taken and cultured at 28 degrees. On the fourteenth day, the Trichophyton indotineae fungus was identified in the sample. This fungus is already registered in the GenBank genetic sequence database of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the United States.