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Sporotrichosis Overview

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Sporotrichosis Treatment




Author: William P Baugh, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, University of California Irvine School of Medicine and Western School of Medicine; Medical Director, Full Spectrum Dermatology; Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, St Jude Medical Center

William P Baugh is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and Christian Medical & Dental Society

Coauthor(s): Cynthia L Chen, BA, Clinical Assistant, Full Spectrum Dermatology; Brad S Graham, MD, Consulting Staff, Dermatology Associates of Tyler, East Texas Medical Center; Trinity Mother Francis Hospital

Editors: Gary J Noel, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Associate Professor, Weill Medical College of Cornell University; Mary L Windle, PharmD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine.com, Inc; Larry I Lutwick, MD, Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Health Care System, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, State University of New York at Downstate; Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine; Russell W Steele, MD, Professor and Vice Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, Head, Division of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

Author and Editor Disclosure

Synonyms and related keywords: Sporothrix schenckii, S schenckii, dimorphic fungal infection, lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis, fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis, disseminated sporotrichosis, Schenck disease, laryngeal and respiratory tract sporotrichosis, cutaneous sporotrichosis, lymphangitic cutaneous sporotrichosis, cellulitic sporotrichosis, mycetomalike sporotrichosis, systemic sporotrichosis, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS, erythema nodosum, polyarteritis nodosum

Background

Sporotrichosis is caused by the acquisition of Sporothrix schenckii, a dimorphic, saprophytic, and geophilic fungus. Although this fungal infection has been reported in temperate and tropical climates around the world, the fungus is less common in semiarid environments. S schenckii usually grows amidst decaying vegetable matter and in the soil as a saprophyte.

Because sporotrichosis may be difficult to initially diagnose, a differential diagnosis should always be generated during the clinical evaluation (see Differentials).

The association between sporotrichosis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first reported in 1985. Although it is not considered an AIDS marker, it is included in a list of AIDS-related conditions. In immunocompromised patients, especially those with an impaired cell-mediated immunity, it can become an opportunistic infection with a possible life-threatening course.

Pathophysiology

The fungus is most commonly acquired by traumatic implantation into the skin, causing a local pustule or ulcer with nodules developing proximally along the draining lymphatics. Once implanted, this saprophytic fungus can grow in human tissues. When recognized by the immune system, an inflammatory response occurs. Physical signs and symptoms relate to the location and degree of inflammation that ensues. Primary organ systems involved in sporotrichosis include the skin and the lungs, although infections at other sites have been reported. Little systemic illness usually occurs, unless the fungus is inhaled or acquired by a patient who is immunocompromised. Inhalation may cause a granulomatous pneumonitis. In a host who is immunocompromised, disseminated infection can occur from skin involvement or from primary pulmonary infection. For instance, one case has been reported of laryngeal and respiratory tract sporotrichosis after steroid inhaler use.1

Clinically, sporotrichosis may manifest as either an acute or a chronic subcutaneous mycotic infection. Although the acute phase is most common, chronic nodular lymphangiitis also reportedly develops in some cases. A minor puncture wound or splinter is sufficient to inoculate the fungus into the tissue.

Frequency

United States

Sporotrichosis is an uncommon fungal infection of unknown frequency.

International

Distribution is global, but incidence is unknown. Deep mycoses have mainly been reported in the tropics and subtropics. A recent endemic of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis were reported in Peru.2 In Rio de Janeiro, a series of cat-transmitted sporotrichosis epidemics have occurred.3

Mortality/Morbidity

Sporotrichosis is usually associated with minimal morbidity. Increased morbidity and, rarely, mortality may occur if the diagnosis is delayed, if the fungus infects patients who are immunologically compromised, or if inadequate or inappropriate therapy is rendered.

Race

Sporotrichosis has no racial predilection.

Sex

Sporotrichosis occurs in men, women, and children. Men have a higher risk of acquiring this fungus because they have greater environmental exposure from outdoor occupations.

Age

Sporotrichosis may occur in people of any age. Yet, in children, sporotrichosis tends to present more frequently with a solitary ulcerative nodule. This is in contrast to adults in which a classic lymphocutaneous form is more common.



History

To evaluate a patient with possible sporotrichosis, investigate the history of risk factors for acquiring the fungus. Several predisposing factors may place a person at increased risk for developing sporotrichosis. Contact with certain plants known to harbor this fungus (eg, roses, sphagnum moss, salt-marsh hay, prairie hay) places patients at increased risk for the disease. The risk of this contact-acquired infection is increased among people in certain occupations, such as farmers or florists. Typical introduction of S schenckii into the skin has been described as occurring via a thorn or wood splinter; infections have also been reported in medical technicians who were exposed to tissue or culture specimens of S schenckii.

Certain diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and alcoholism, also predispose a patient to develop localized disorders. In certain settings, patients who are immunocompromised are at risk for developing disseminated sporotrichosis.

In addition, identified risk factors include playing in crop fields, having a dirt floor in the house, having a ceiling made of raw wood, or conditions associated with a lower socioeconomic status.

Physical

Overall, this fungal infection most commonly affects the dorsum of the hands or fingers. Various primary lesions have been described, ranging from an erythematous papule or pustule to an ulcerating nodule.

Sporotrichosis can be divided clinically into 2 main categories: cutaneous and systemic.

  • Cutaneous sporotrichosis
    • The primary lesion is typically a pustule at the site of implantation. Erythematous papules, nodules, and verrucous plaques may also develop, along with secondary features such as ulceration and serosanguineous fluid drainage. Surprisingly, these lesions produce relatively few symptoms.
    • Lymphangitic cutaneous sporotrichosis is the most common form of the disease.
      • Lymphangitic cutaneous sporotrichosis is usually found on an exposed skin surface at the site of traumatic inoculation. A classic clinical setting would be an adult male who acquired a splinter that, despite removal, continued to produce an area of inflammation.
      • A pustule may slowly grow and may develop into a plaque or nodule. This nodule may eventually ulcerate. Examination proximally along the affected limb usually reveals small, deep-seated, satellite erythematous nodules along lymphatic drainage. If left untreated, the fungal infection continues to spread proximally, producing a significant amount of skin inflammation, abscesses, thickened lymphatic cords, lymphadenitis, and, eventually, systemic spread.
    • Spontaneous resolution may occur. Typically, early in the course of the disease, the patient's health is minimally affected, and the infection site bears minimal symptoms.
    • Cutaneous forms of sporotrichosis also include fixed cutaneous, cellulitic, and mycetomalike. Of these, fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis is the second main cutaneous form of the disease.
      • In its fixed cutaneous form, the fungus remains localized to the implantation site and no proximal lymphangitis or lymphadenopathy develops.
      • The fixed cutaneous form may tend to take on more of a verrucous plaquelike appearance. This form may represent enhanced host immune response to the fungus, possibly because of prior exposure. Skin surveys using the sporotrichin skin test have demonstrated that a positive test result occurs in up to 10% of certain populations, suggesting a history of prior exposure to S schenckii.
  • Systemic sporotrichosis
    • Less common systemic forms of sporotrichosis usually follow inhalation of the fungus. A pulmonary infection ensues, which serves as the primary dissemination route. Systemic sporotrichosis can be divided into a pulmonary form and a disseminated form, both causing higher morbidity and mortality than cutaneous sporotrichosis.
    • Pulmonary infection may remain localized to the lung or may disseminate to other body sites, including the skin, joints, bones, internal organs, and meninges. For instance, one case has been reported of laryngeal and respiratory tract sporotrichosis after steroid inhaler use.
    • This clinical situation has often been found in persons with alcoholism.
    • Erythema nodosum and vascular lesions resembling polyarteritis nodosum have also been reported in patients with sporotrichosis.
  • Clinical types of sporotrichosis
    • Localized cutaneous (chancriform) type: A subcutaneous papule or pustule develops at the site of inoculation after several weeks. Surrounding skin develops a pink-to-violaceous papulonodule, which may subsequently develop into a painless ulcer. The ulcer border is often ragged and undermined and draining a serosanguineous exudate. Draining lymph nodes may become tender and swollen.
    • Chronic lymphangitic (sporotrichoid) type: This is the most common and best recognized form of sporotrichosis; it may follow the chancriform type described above. Lymphangitic spread of the fungus produces nodular swellings in a linear array, spreading proximally up the affected extremity. Palpable lymphadenopathy is often an associated finding.
    • Fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis: Crusted verrucous plaques may occur in this type and are often found on the faces of children or the upper extremities of adults.
    • Disseminated sporotrichosis: The fungus spreads hematogenously to the skin, joints, eyes, and CNS. Multiple crusted and ulcerating papulonodules may occur. This form may have a widespread distribution (sparing the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet). The primary source of infection may be the lungs, or dissemination may occur from a cutaneous site in a patient who is immunocompromised.

Causes

Sporotrichosis is typically acquired by inoculation of the fungus into the skin during contact with certain plants or animals. Classic scenarios include skin puncture by a splinter or rose thorn. Bites or scratches from sick animals such as cats, dogs, birds, and armadillos represent another source of infection.



Atypical Mycobacterial Infection
Blastomycosis
Leishmaniasis
Lymphangitis
Tularemia

Other Problems to be Considered

Cutaneous tuberculosis
Keratoacanthoma
Lupus vulgaris
Mycobacterium marinum infection
Nocardia infection



Lab Studies

  • Sporotrichosis is a thermally dimorphic fungus that can be grown from infected tissues.
  • S schenckii is easy to grow and is not sensitive to cycloheximide, which is often added to fungal culture media to inhibit growth of saprophytes and to promote growth of dermatophytes.
  • At 25°C on Sabouraud agar, the fungus forms a white-to-cream–colored mold that turns dark brown or black as it ages, often forming a leathery, wrinkled surface.
  • Microscopic examination of a cotton blue or Scotch tape preparation reveals long and slender septate hyphae with hyaline pyriform conidia, often forming flowerlike arrangements.
  • In tissue at 37°C, S schenckii takes on an elongated yeast form, approximately 6-8 mm in length, with rounded ends resembling cigars. Budding from the main yeast bodies may be observed in the tissues.
  • To confirm the identity of this fungus, the hyphal form may be converted into the yeast phase. This is often best achieved by growing the fungus on brain-heart infusion agar supplemented with sheep's blood then raising the temperature from 25°C to 37°C.
  • Fine-needle aspiration of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis can be followed by periodic-acid Schiff (PAS) and Grocott's methenamine silver (GMS) method.
  • Further laboratory studies (eg, tuberculosis test, antinuclear antibody test) may be needed to identify other potential infectious or noninfectious causes that may mimic sporotrichosis.

Imaging Studies

  • If primary pulmonary sporotrichosis is suspected, chest radiography may be helpful.

Procedures

  • Diagnosis must often await the results of tissue culture. Despite the usual difficulty in visualizing S schenckii yeast cells on routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stains, the organism is usually cultured relatively easily. A punch biopsy or incisional biopsy may provide the best sample for these 2 tests. When tissue is obtained for culture, submit the specimen in (nonbacteriostatic) normal saline to the laboratory without delay.

Histologic Findings

  • S schenckii is often very difficult to recognize in regular H&E tissue sections or even when tissue is stained with PAS or GMS. The cigar-shaped yeast cells are usually quite sparse within the tissue. Although geographic differences have been reported in the abundance of S schenckii found in the tissues, as have differences in the ease of identifying them with special stains, the reasons for these differences are unknown.
  • Because these yeast cells are usually difficult to find in the tissue, seeking clues to their presence may increase the likelihood of finding the organism.
  • From a low-power view, the tissue often manifests a pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia with microabscess formation. This is a nonspecific finding but is often a clue to deep fungal infection, prompting the investigator to make a close survey of the tissue for infective organisms.
  • A diffuse, mixed, inflammatory cell infiltrate is often found throughout the dermis, extending into the subcutaneous fat. When found, the yeast often resides within microabscesses or within macrophages and giant cells.
  • Asteroid bodies may also be a clue to sporotrichosis. These entities are eosinophilic round bodies with pink material radiating outward from their center. Asteroid bodies most likely form as a result of accumulation of immunoglobulins surrounding a yeast cell.
  • A fluorescent antibody technique may enhance diagnostic specificity. This technique uses anti-Sporothrix immunoglobulins labeled with fluorescein dye to enhance identification of the yeast cells in tissue.
  • Fortunately, even if the fungus cannot be observed in the tissues, it is often very easy to grow in culture.
  • One case reported a histology mimicking that of cutaneous cryptococcosis.4



Medical Care

Medical therapy is the standard of care for sporotrichosis. Patients are commonly treated with an oral antifungal agent on an outpatient basis. Surgical therapy, other than to perform a biopsy from a lesion for establishing the diagnosis, is rarely used as a form of treatment. Aggressive treatments are seldom necessary. This fungus does not grow well in temperatures higher than 38.5°C, so warm compresses are often used as adjunctive therapy. See the Medication section for a suggested pharmaceutical approach to treating sporotrichosis.

Consultations

Consult with a dermatologist.

Activity

Activity limitations, determined on a case-by-case basis, may be necessary for optimal care. Wearing long sleeves and gloves is recommended when gardening or handling plant matter that may cause sporotrichosis.



Approach the treatment of sporotrichosis based upon each patient's clinical presentation and severity of illness. Most patients are treated with some form of antifungal therapy. Many agents are reported to be successful. For simple cutaneous forms, a saturated solution of potassium iodide is often used and is the least expensive form of treatment.

Systemic antifungal medications, such as amphotericin B, itraconazole, terbinafine, or fluconazole, may be used to treat more severe forms of sporotrichosis (eg, lymphonodular, pulmonary, osteoarticular, disseminated). For all clinical types of sporotrichosis, continue the treatment course for at least 1 week after clinical cure.

Drug Category: Antifungal agents

The mechanism of action may involve an alteration of RNA and DNA metabolism or an intracellular accumulation of peroxide that is toxic to the fungal cell.

Drug NamePotassium iodide (SSKI)
DescriptionFor simple cutaneous lesions, the least expensive medication for treatment is a saturated solution of potassium iodide. This approach is commonly used in developing countries because of its low cost. SSKI can be administered on average for approximately 4-6 wk, but as long as 6 months. However, prolonged use should be undertaken with caution (see interactions below). The mechanism of action is unknown. Ineffective for systemic disease.
Adult Dose1 mL (5-10 gtt) PO tid with meals; increase by 1 mL/wk, reaching (not to exceed) 4-6 mL/d (40-60 gtt/d) by the end of 4-6 wk; longer courses may be needed based on clinical response
Pediatric DoseAdminister as in adults, with understanding that lower doses are usually more effective; should be effective at lower doses than in adults, but treatment is not usually well-tolerated because of adverse effects
ContraindicationsDocumented hypersensitivity; renal failure; hyperkalemia; pulmonary edema; tuberculosis; goiter; hypothyroidism
InteractionsReported to interact with a number of different medications; because of potential for inducing elevated serum potassium levels, use cautiously with other medications that may cause hyperkalemia (eg, potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors, potassium supplements) because these may result in very high levels of serum potassium, causing cardiac dysrhythmias and/or cardiac arrest; use with caution when prescribing with other antithyroid drugs because its ability to inhibit thyroid hormone secretion may result in significant hypothyroid states; coadministration with lithium may cause additive hypothyroid effects
Use of SSKI for more than 1 mo can lead to interruption of thyroid hormone production, called Wolff-Chaikoff effect, because of excess iodide; patients with defective or absent autoregulatory mechanisms can become hypothyroid; with prolonged therapy, evaluation of TSH and T3 is advised
PregnancyD - Fetal risk shown in humans; use only if benefits outweigh risk to fetus
PrecautionsCaution in hyperkalemic states, cardiac disease, and acute bronchitis; prior to treatment, explain potential consequences of nausea, salivary gland swelling and salivation, fever, rash, and metallic taste

Drug NameItraconazole (Sporanox)
DescriptionDOC for cutaneous sporotrichosis. A fungistatic azole with broad spectrum of activity because of its inhibition of enzyme 14-alpha-demethylase, which is needed by the fungus for cell wall synthesis. Particularly effective for lymphocutaneous forms of sporotrichosis but may be used for fixed cutaneous and systemic forms. The caps and PO solution are not interchangeable (PO solution exhibits higher bioavailability).
Adult DoseAverage adult dose is 100 mg PO bid for 4-6 wk; take with food; 200 mg PO qd has also been reported successful in osteoarticular sporotrichosis
In patients with AIDS, 300 mg/d for 6 mo, then 200 mg/d for 4 mo, then 100 mg/d for 2 mo
Pediatric Dose100 mg cap PO qd or 5 mg/kg qd; open and place in soft food (eg, applesauce); continue treatment for at least 1 wk following clinical resolution, typically 4-6 wk
ContraindicationsDocumented hypersensitivity; concomitant use with cisapride, terfenadine, and astemizole because of a drug-drug metabolism interaction causing potentially lethal cardiac effects
InteractionsPotent inhibitor or CYP450 3A4, thus, other medications metabolized via this system may accumulate, resulting in elevated levels and adverse effects (eg, alprazolam, midazolam, cisapride, terfenadine, astemizole, simvastatin, cyclosporine, tacrolimus); medications known to induce cytochrome P450 system (eg, rifampin) may lower levels of itraconazole, making drug ineffective; antacids may reduce absorption of itraconazole; conversely, acidic or carbonated beverage consumption may facilitate absorption; may increase digoxin levels
PregnancyC - Fetal risk revealed in studies in animals but not established or not studied in humans; may use if benefits outweigh risk to fetus
PrecautionsCaution with hepatitis or liver failure history (regularly monitor LFT results, although elevated LFT results are uncommon); other typical adverse effects include headache, pruritus, nausea, rhinitis, rash, and dyspepsia; PO solution contains hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (solubilizing agent), which causes pancreatic hyperplasia and neoplasia at high doses in rats

Drug NameAmphotericin B (Fungizone)
DescriptionDOC for disseminated or meningeal forms of systemic sporotrichosis. Some providers even consider this DOC for lymphocutaneous forms of sporotrichosis.
Polyene antibiotic produced by a strain of Streptomyces nodosus; can be fungistatic or fungicidal. Binds to sterols, such as ergosterol, in the fungal cell membrane, causing intracellular components to leak with subsequent fungal cell death.
Adult Dose0.5 mg/kg/d slow IV infusion (over 4 h); not to exceed a total cumulative dose of 1-2 g
Pediatric DoseAdminister as in adults
ContraindicationsDocumented hypersensitivity
InteractionsAntineoplastic agents may enhance the potential of amphotericin B for renal toxicity, bronchospasm, and hypotension; corticosteroids, digitalis, and thiazides may potentiate hypokalemia; the risk of renal toxicity is increased with cyclosporine
PregnancyB - Fetal risk not confirmed in studies in humans but has been shown in some studies in animals
PrecautionsNephrotoxicity manifests as hypokalemia and renal tubular acidosis; regular renal function monitoring is recommended; fever and chills are not uncommon after first few administrations of drug; rare acute reactions may include hypotension, bronchospasm, arrhythmias, and shock

Drug NameTerbinafine (Daskil, Lamisil)
DescriptionA fungicidal allylamine antifungal agent. Considered a third-line agent against sporotrichosis. Blocks ergosterol synthesis by inhibiting squalene epoxidase. Effective against S schenckii and other fungi and fungal infections, including most dermatophytes, Aspergillus species, blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis. Terbinafine is well absorbed PO and has a long half-life.
No elixir form is available; 250-mg tab is not scored and cannot be easily pulverized for use in children and is not palatable.
Adult Dose250 mg PO qd
Pediatric Dose20-40 kg: 125 mg PO qd/qod
>40 kg: Administer as in adults
ContraindicationsDocumented hypersensitivity
InteractionsMay decrease cyclosporine effects; toxicity of terbinafine may increase with rifampin and cimetidine
PregnancyB - Fetal risk not confirmed in studies in humans but has been shown in some studies in animals
PrecautionsPancytopenia, neutropenia, erythema multiforme, Steven-Johnson syndrome, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, taste disturbances, dyspepsia, and cholestatic liver disease; use with caution in patients with liver and/or renal dysfunction; LFT results should be monitored q6wk if long-term therapy is anticipated; monitor CBC count in patients with known or suspected immunodeficiency who are treated >6 wk

Drug NameFluconazole (Diflucan)
DescriptionA broad-spectrum azole antifungal agent. Considered a third-line agent for sporotrichosis treatment. Effective for a variety of fungi, including dermatophytes, candidal species, S schenckii, and some molds. It inhibits the enzyme 14-alpha-demethylase, preventing fungal cell wall formation.
Adult Dose800 mg PO qd for 4-6 wk
Pediatric Dose5-6 mg/kg/d PO for approximately 4-6 wk
ContraindicationsDocumented hypersensitivity
InteractionsLevels may increase with hydrochlorothiazide; fluconazole levels may decrease with long-term coadministration of rifampin; coadministration of fluconazole may decrease phenytoin clearance; may increase concentrations of theophylline, tolbutamide, glyburide, and glipizide; effects of anticoagulants may increase with fluconazole coadministration; increases in cyclosporine concentrations may occur when administered concurrently; moderately inhibits CYP450 3A3/4 isoenzymes
PregnancyC - Fetal risk revealed in studies in animals but not established or not studied in humans; may use if benefits outweigh risk to fetus
PrecautionsMay cause GI upset, headache, rash, exfoliative dermatitis, and drug-induced hepatitis; discontinue if patient develops rash, elevated LFT results, or cholestasis



Further Inpatient Care

  • Sporotrichosis is usually managed on an outpatient basis. A few patients with the more severe forms (eg, disseminated sporotrichosis) may require hospitalization.

Further Outpatient Care

  • The primary therapeutic approach to managing cutaneous lesions of sporotrichosis involves administration of systemic medications to eradicate the fungus. If a cutaneous plaque, nodule, or ulcer is present, consider teaching the patient about supportive local wound care to facilitate healing. Such education typically involves instruction on keeping lesions clean and free from further contamination. If the lesion is ulcerated, a topical ointment may be applied to prevent occurrence of secondary bacterial infections. Follow up with the patient in the clinic every 1-2 weeks to monitor progress. Instruct the patient about potential sources of this fungus to help avoid further infections.

In/Out Patient Meds

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Educate every patient who has acquired sporotrichosis about the fungus and provide information about how to prevent occurrence of further infections. S schenckii is a saprophytic fungus, usually found in the soil. Instruct patients to be careful when working with soils, sphagnum moss, decaying wood, roses, thorn bushes, and salt marsh or prairie hay. If exposure to these materials or plants is anticipated, instruct patients to wear personal protective equipment, particularly gloves, to minimize thorn or splinter punctures of the skin.
  • Sporotrichosis has also been acquired from pets, particularly cats, so the physician should consider this potential source of acquisition if the aforementioned soil and plant exposures do not apply.

Prognosis

Prognosis for patients with sporotrichosis depends on its clinical type (eg, fixed cutaneous, localized cutaneous, lymphocutaneous, disseminated), associated underlying diseases, and the patient's immune response to this fungus.

  • Patients with fixed cutaneous and lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis have an excellent prognosis. These lesions usually respond well to therapy and typically resolve after 4-6 weeks of therapy.
  • Patients with the osteoarticular form of sporotrichosis usually have a moderately good prognosis, but they may require higher doses of medication, longer courses of therapy to achieve cure, or both.
  • Patients with pulmonary or disseminated forms of sporotrichosis usually have some underlying medical condition or immune deficit that allows the fungus to grow and spread unchecked. For example, patients who have insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, or AIDS may be unable to mount an adequate immune response to keep this fungal infection localized. Such patients typically have a worse prognosis and require longer courses of therapy.

Patient Education



Medical/Legal Pitfalls

  • Medicolegal problems associated with clinical cases of sporotrichosis are unusual but may occur for a few basic reasons.
    • Failure to establish the appropriate diagnosis, resulting in delay of care or provision of inappropriate care, may result in litigation.
    • The dome-shaped nature of a cutaneous ulcer produced by sporotrichosis, combined with its abrupt clinical course, may mimic a keratoacanthoma. This may result in an unnecessary surgical procedure or inadvertent use of an injectable chemotherapeutic agent to treat the suspected skin cancer. These procedures only worsen the situation.
    • Failure to provide appropriate treatment or medications is another example of a medicolegal pitfall because resolution of this fungal infection may be delayed, resulting in unnecessary inflammation and scarring.
    • Failure to follow up with the affected patient to assure complete resolution of sporotrichosis may result in recurrence or undue morbidity or mortality. Patients should be scheduled for follow-up after clinical resolution of sporotrichosis to monitor for recurrence.



Media file 1:  Sporotrichosis with cutaneous necrosis and lymphangitic (sporotrichoid) spread. A 28-year-old white man presented for evaluation of a poorly healing, asymptomatic, round plaque acquired on the dorsum of his left hand. The lesion had been present for approximately 3 weeks.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 2:  Glucose-peptone agar culture plates revealing colony growth of Sporothrix schenckii. The left plate reveals older colonies as dark brown or black, and the right plate reveals younger white colonies with a brown center, characteristic of this fungus.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 3:  Microscopic examination of a blue dye preparation from the colony surface reveals elongated septate hyphae with groups of microconidia in a flowerlike arrangement.
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Media type:  Electron Microscopy

Media file 4:  A well-circumscribed, moderately elevated, erythematous plaque with central ulceration is found on the dorsum of this patient's left hand. Potassium chloride (KOH) stain was negative for fungal elements.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 5:  A 2 X 2 cm, dome-shaped, well-circumscribed, erythematous plaque is shown proximal to the left ring finger. The lesion was draining a serosanguineous fluid. No purulence was noted.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 6:  Biopsy rarely reveals the 6-mcg cigar-shaped yeast within tissue macrophages as shown in this histologic section. This is the morphology that Sporothrix schenckii assumes at 37°C.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 7:  Moist cream-colored colonies with a central, dark, leathery, and wrinkled surface growing at 25°C is highly suggestive of Sporothrix schenckii.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 8:  A fresh agar slant of Sporothrix schenckii reveals moist, white-to-cream–colored, yeastlike colonies.
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Media type:  Photo

Media file 9:  Cutaneous, ulcerating, painless nodule on the hand and a classic sporotrichoid lymphangitic pattern spreading proximally up the arm.
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Media type:  Photo



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Sporotrichosis excerpt

Article Last Updated: Nov 15, 2007