Sporothricosis

Sporothricosis is a fungal infection by the various species in the genus Sporothrix. It affects both humans and animals especially cats. Various factors, including the amount of initial infection, the immune condition of the host, the strength of the infecting strain, and the depth of initial injury, affect the diverse clinical presentations of sporotrichosis. Culture remains the primary method for detecting sporotrichosis, though serological, histopathological, and molecular methods have been increasingly used as supplementary diagnostic tools for this fungal infection. Sporothis schenckii was first identified in 1896 by Benjamin Schenck, a medical student at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. The fungus was isolated from a 36-year-old male patient who had lesions on his right hand and arm. Erwin Smith, a mycologist, studied the isolate from the patient's abscess and determined that the fungus belonged to the Sporotrichum genus. In 1900, Hektoen and Perkins documented the second confirmed case of sporotrichosis in the United States. The case involved a boy who injured his finger with a hammer, leading to a lesion that eventually healed on its own. These researchers coined the term "Sporothrix schenckii" to identify the causative agent of sporotrichosis. Subsequently, Sporothrix schenckii was incorrectly classified within the genus Sporotrichum, which consists of basidiomycetous fungi that are non-dimorphic and non-pathogenic to humans or animals. This misclassification persisted until 1962, when Carmichael distinguished differences in conidiation between members of the genus Sporotrichum and isolates from sporotrichosis cases. While sporotrichosis is found globally, there is limited research on the physiological traits of its causative agent. Typically, S. schenckii thrives best at temperatures ranging from 30 to 37°C, with all strains showing restricted growth at 40°C. Even though S. schenckii can still grow at 35 to 37°C, there is some inhibition compared to growth at 28°C. Interestingly, this inhibition seems to vary based on geographical factors.

KEY INFORMATION REGARDING SPOROTHRICOSIS

• Humans can get this disease from scratches from plant thorns or cats

• The causative agents live in the soil and plants

• Some species includes Sporothrix schenckii , Sporothrix brasiliensis,

• There are different forms of the disease such as cutaneous, ocular, pulmonary,disseminated sporothrichosis

• It should be noted that it is different from cat scratch disease which is of a bacterial origin

• People that are at risk includes; those who keep cats as pets, veterinarians and others that have close interactions with cats

• It can be diagnosed through culture, serology, cytology, PCR

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

• It can be prevented by avoiding contacts with cats that have sores and wounds, wearing gloves when touching plant matter

Cat owners should:

• Limit interactions between domestic and feral cats.

• Bring cats with signs of sporotrichosis to a veterinarian right away.

• Inform the veterinarian of their cat's travel history even if the cat shows signs of sporotrichosis years after the travel