Flesh Eating Bacteria

Does anyone else remember when flesh eating bacteria was extremely rare, and pretty much just the stuff of science fiction? Well, it's baaack, and apparently a new vicious and increasingly common strain is affecting gay men in disproportionate numbers. NYTimes has the article, here. Is it just me, or does it sometimes seem like the conservatives have some power to control things they don't like? The world is sh**ting on an already disadvantaged population. AGAIN. And given that this can transmit through simple touching and even touching contaminated surfaces, why is it attacking gay men? I would understand if it were only transmitted through anal sex, but that is only one way in which it's transmitted.