Sporothrix schenckii and Sporotrichosis

Abstract

SUMMARY Sporotrichosis, which is caused by the dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii , is currently distributed throughout the world, especially in tropical and subtropical zones. Infection generally occurs by traumatic inoculation of soil, plants, and organic matter contaminated with the fungus. Certain leisure and occupational activities, such as floriculture, agriculture, mining, and wood exploitation, are traditionally associated with the mycosis. Zoonotic transmission has been described in isolated cases or in small outbreaks. Since the end of the 1990s there has been an epidemic of sporotrichosis associated with transmission by cats in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More than 2,000 human cases and 3,000 animal cases have been reported. In humans, the lesions are usually restricted to the skin, subcutaneous cellular tissue, and adjacent lymphatic vessels. In cats, the disease can evolve with severe clinical manifestations and frequent systemic involvement. The gold standard for sporotrichosis diagnosis is culture. However, serological, histopathological, and molecular approaches have been recently adopted as auxiliary tools for the diagnosis of this mycotic infection. The first-choice treatment for both humans and cats is itraconazole.

Características clínico-epidemiológicas, histomorfológicas e histoquímicas da esporotricose felina

“…(Marques et al 1992, Lacaz 2002, Gross et al 2009, Miranda et al 2009, Barros et al 2011). Entretanto, a técnica do AA não tem sido mencionada para este fim.…”

“…Além disso, ela pode ser diagnosticada através da correlação de dados clínicos, epidemiológicos e laboratoriais. Dados laboratoriais incluem o exame direto (citologia do exsudato das lesões) ou o exame histopatológico (Barros et al 2011). A técnica de imuno-histoquímica também é útil no diagnóstico, porém está disponível somente em alguns centros diagnósticos (Miranda et al 2011), pela ausência de anticorpos comerciais.…”

The epidemiological scenario of feline sporotrichosis in Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…The animal species most affected is the cat, which can exhibit a wide spectrum of clinical signs ranging from a single cutaneous lesion to a disseminated form 2,3 . Unlike the lesions observed in humans and dogs, cutaneous lesions in felines carry a high parasite burden, making the cat an important source of infection in the zoonotic transmission of this fungus 1,3,4 . In the past 14 years, transmission of S. schenckii from scratches, bites or contact with sick cats has been reported in Brazil 1 The medical records of the cats followed at Lapclin-Dermzoo from January 2005 to December 2011 were reviewed; the inclusion criterion was the diagnosis of sporotrichosis confi rmed by isolation of Sporothrix spp.…”

“…The disease occurs worldwide but is endemic in Latin America, especially in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the fi rst epidemic of zoonotic sporotrichosis was described at the end of the 1990s 1 . The animal species most affected is the cat, which can exhibit a wide spectrum of clinical signs ranging from a single cutaneous lesion to a disseminated form 2,3 .…”

In vitro reduction of pathogenic sporothrix schenckii fungus by photodynamic therapy

“…The treatment of fungal infection occurs by the administration of oral antifungal agents 4,5 . However, due to the indiscriminate use of these drugs, drug-resistant isolates can be identified, which consequently leads to therapeutic failures and remission of mycosis in humans [6][7][8][9] . The diagnosis consists of the microscopic identification of yeast structures of the Sporothrix schenckii complex fungi by the material collected from the lesions 10,11 .…”