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Sporotrichosis with widespread cutaneous lesions: report of 24 cases related to transmission by domestic cats in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Author(s) -
De Lima Barros Mônica Bastos,
De Oliveira Schubach Armando,
Galhardo Maria Clara Gutierrez,
Schubach Tânia Maria Pacheco,
Reis Rosani Santos dos,
Conceição Maria José,
Valle Antônio Carlos Francesconi do
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01813.x
Subject(s) - sporotrichosis , sporothrix schenckii , medicine , dimorphic fungus , itraconazole , sporothrix , cats , dermatology , mycosis , transmission (telecommunications) , outbreak , pathology , surgery , antifungal , biology , genetics , electrical engineering , yeast , engineering
Background Sporotrichosis most commonly presents as a localized lymphocutaneous infection following traumatic inoculation of soil, vegetables or organic substrates contaminated with the dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii . Cases of widespread cutaneous lesions are rare. There have been isolated reports of household outbreaks of sporotrichosis involving cats and humans. Methods We report 24 cases of culture‐proven sporotrichosis presenting with widespread cutaneous lesions. Results These 24 cases are part of an epidemic currently occurring in Rio de Janeiro. All patients reported contact with cats with sporotrichosis and 17 reported a history of a scratch or bite. Clinical manifestations included fixed lesions at multiple anatomical sites, and fixed lesions associated with the lymphocutaneous, bilateral lymphocutaneous and mucosal forms of the disease. Two patients were alcoholics and one patient was diabetic, while the remaining patients did not present any immunosuppressing condition. All patients responded to treatment with itraconazole. Conclusions The domestic cat has played an important role in the transmission of sporotrichosis in Rio de Janeiro and seems to have contributed to this unusual clinical manifestation.