Sporotrichosis - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection caused by a fungus called Sporothrix schenckii. This infection-causing fungus is related more closely to the mold on stale bread or the yeast used to brew beer than to bacteria that usually cause infections. Sporotrichosis is an infection that usually affects the skin. Sporotrichosis can also be acquired from handling cats with the disease; it is an occupational hazard for veterinarians Sporotrichosis is acquired through direct inoculation into the skin and rarely via inhalation of conidia Sporothrix typically grows on rosebushes, barberry bushes, sphagnum moss, and other mulches. Most often, farmers, gardeners, and horticulturists are infected, usually from a small puncture wound. which is found on decaying vegetation, rosebushes, twigs, hay, sphagnum moss and mulch-rich soil. Secondary spread to articular surfaces, bone and muscle is not infrequent, and the infection may also occasionally involve the central nervous system, lungs or genitourinary tract. it is not considered an AIDS marker, it is included in a list of AIDS-related conditions.

Sporotrichosis is primarily a chronic mycotic infection of the cutaneous or subcutaneous tissues and adjacent lymphatics characterized by nodular lesions which may suppurate and ulcerate. It usually strikes people who work around plants and soil. With treatment, the infection is usually cured. It usually infects the skin. Very rarely, the bones, joints, lungs, or other tissues are infected. Skin lesions characteristically follow lymphatic pathways, but the lymph nodes themselves are not usually involved. Therefore, the infection is more common among gardeners who work with roses, moss, hay, and soil. Because of this occupational exposure, sporotrichosis is more prevalent in adult males.

Causes of Sporotrichosis

Common causes and risk factor's of Sporotrichosis include the following:

• Sporothrix schenckii, a fungus.
• Infected animals.
• A weakened immune system.
• Sporotrichosis usually begins when mold spores are forced under the skin by a rose thorn or sharp stick.
• Farmers, nursery workers, landscapers, and gardeners are at higher risk for the disease.

Symptoms of Sporotrichosis

Some sign and symptoms related to Sporotrichosis are as follows:

• Open sores (ulcerations).
• Cough.
• Holes and nodules in the lungs.
• Weight loss.
• Fibrosis or formation of abnormal fibrous tissue.
• Loss of appetite or anorexia.
• Formation of fungus ball.

Treatment of Sporotrichosiss

Here is list of the methods for treating Sporotrichosis :

• Antifungal therapy is the mainstay of treatment for all forms of sporotrichosis.
• Surgical therapy is important in the management of osteoarticular sporotrichosis.
• A new drug, itraconazole (Sporanox), is now the first choice for treatment because it causes fewer side effects than potassium iodide.
• The skin infection is usually treated with potassium iodide given by mouth 3 times per day or itraconazole by mouth.
• In serious cases of sporotrichosis, when the internal organs are infected, the preferred treatment is the drug amphotericin B. Amphotericin B is a strong anti-fungal drug with potentially severe toxic side effects.