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Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis that affects animals and humans. Varying in severity, occurrences range from local lesions to systemic involvement. It is caused by thermodimorphic and saprobic fungi from the Sporothrix pathogenic clade. This study aimed to identify the species and the sexual idiomorph distribution patterns responsible for diagnosed cases of sporotrichosis in São José do Rio Preto, Brazil. We included 188 isolates of Sporothrix sp. from feline lesions and 27 of human origin, which underwent molecular identification and genotyping for mating-type MAT1-1 and MAT1-2. The results showed that Sporothrix brasiliensis is the prevalent species in feline sporotrichosis outbreaks with the overwhelming presence of a single mating-type, MAT1-2 (P <.0001), suggesting a prevalently clonal form of spread. Morphological analyses did not discriminate among cryptic species in the genus Sporothrix, and molecular identification was essential for the correct identification of the species responsible for the observed cases of sporotrichosis. Distribution analyses of MAT1-2 isolates support the hypothesis of unidirectional migration from the current epidemics in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to the municipality of São José do Rio Preto., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Sporotrichosis is a neglected and emerging mycosis caused by the traumatic implantation of Sporothrix propagules into the (sub)cutaneous tissues of humans and animals. We evaluated canine sporotrichosis's clinical-therapeutic, epidemiological profile, and in vitro susceptibility of isolates to itraconazole. The variables were evaluated by a chi-square test. A total of 69 dogs were infected with Sporothrix spp., and the molecular identification revealed an overwhelming occurrence of S. brasiliensis as the etiological agent. The epidemiological profile was male (56.5%), adults (4.9 ± 1.92 years old; 69.6%), and mongrels (53.6%). The clinical signs were 76.8%, ulcers, draining tracts, and nodules were predominant, mainly in the nasal region (82.2%). Dogs were diagnosed late with an evolution time of up to 3 months (34.8%). According to the prior therapeutic information, 52.2% received empirical therapy, 79.2% antibiotics, and had a 0.29 significantly greater chance of presenting lesion evolution time ˃ 3 months (P < .05; Odds Ratio [OR] 1/0.29). Additionally, 25 S. brasiliensis isolates recovered between 2006-2012 (n = 15; Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.06-2 μg/ml) and 2013-2018 (n = 10; MIC: 2→16 μg/ml) were tested against itraconazole (ITZ). These findings highlighted the resistance to ITZ in clinical cases due to S. brasiliensis occurring after 2013, showing the temporal evolution of ITZ-resistance. We warn of the importance of accurate and early diagnosis in Sporothrix-affected areas, and we report the emergence of ITZ-resistant isolates in Southern Brazil., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Feline sporotrichosis caused by the Sporothrix schenckii complex is a global subcutaneous mycosis, having higher prevalence in Latin America and Malaysia. However, its etiological agents have not been elucidated in Thailand, a neighboring country of Malaysia, where the cases are increasing. This study identified 38 feline isolates of S. schenckii from Southern Thailand, collected between 2018 and 2021, using phenotypic characterization and molecular identification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-sequencing of partial calmodulin (CAL) and ß-tubulin (Bt2) genes. Phenotypic characteristics proved that the isolates were S. schenckii sensu lato, with low thermotolerance. Based on partial CAL and Bt2-PCR sequencing, all isolates were identified as S. schenckii sensu stricto. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolates were clustered with S. schenckii sensu stricto isolated from the cats in Malaysia. A low degree of genetic diversity was observed among the Thai feline isolates. The antifungal susceptibility of these isolates to antifungal agents, including itraconazole (ITC), ketoconazole (KTC), fluconazole (FLC), and amphotericin B (AMB), was investigated according to the M27-A3 protocol of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results showed low ITC, KTC, and AMB activities against S. schenckii sensu stricto isolates, with high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of 1-8, 1-8, and 2-16 μg/ml, respectively, whereas FLC exhibited MICs of 64 and > 64 μg/ml. This study indicated that S. schenckii sensu stricto is the causative agent responsible for feline sporotrichosis in Southern Thailand. Their phenotypic characteristics and in vitro antifungal susceptibility profiles will help to improve our understanding of this mycosis in Thailand., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Sporothrix schenkii is a dimorphic fungus that causes infections in both humans and animals. We report on 25 S. schenkii isolates collected in 2017 from humans and cats clinically diagnosed with sporotrichosis, in Malaysia. These isolates were phenotypically identified as S. schenkii sensu lato and further defined as S. schenckii sensu stricto based on partial calmodulin gene sequence. Isolates from both humans and cats were genotypically identical but displayed phenotypic variation. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial calmodulin sequence showed that the Malaysian isolates clustered with global S. schenkii sensu stricto strains, in particular, of the AFLP type E. This analysis also revealed that partial calmodulin sequence alone was sufficient for classifying global S. schenckii sensu stricto strains into their respective AFLP types, from A to E. The genetically conserved S. schenkii sensu stricto species isolated from humans and cats is suggestive of a clonal strain present in Malaysia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on molecular identification of Sporothrix schenkii strains from human infections in Malaysia. Further studies are required in order to elucidate the clonal nature of Malaysian S. schenkii isolates. Our findings indicate the presence of a predominant S. schenkii genotype in the environment, causing infections in both cats and humans in Malaysia., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by traumatic inoculation of pathogenic Sporothrix species. Until recently, Sporothrix globosa was considered as the unique Chinese species causing this disorder. In the present study, 33 clinical Sporothrix strains isolated from Jiangxi, China, were classified and antifungal susceptibility for each strain was determined. Thirteen S. globosa strains and 20 S. schenckii strains were identified by morphology and by multilocus analysis using rDNA ITS, CAL, and EF1α (i.e., internal transcribed spacer, calmodulin and elongation factor-1α). In vitro antifungal susceptibility testing of yeast phases indicated that itraconazole, terbinafine, and posaconazole were most effective against both species, followed by amphotericin B and voriconazole, while fluconazole, 5-fluorocytosine had low efficacy with high MICs. Co-occurrence of S. schenckii and S. globosa in central China may indicate different routes of transmission in this area., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Sporotrichosis is an important subcutaneous mycosis of humans and animals. Classically, the disease is acquired upon traumatic inoculation of Sporothrix propagules from contaminated soil and plant debris. In addition, the direct horizontal transmission of Sporothrix among animals and the resulting zoonotic infection in humans highlight an alternative and efficient rout of transmission through biting and scratching. Sporothrix brasiliensis is the most virulent species of the Sporothrix schenckii complex and is responsible for the long-lasting outbreak of feline sporotrichosis in Brazil. However, antifungal susceptibility data of animal-borne isolates is scarce. Therefore, this study evaluated the in vitro activity of amphotericin B, caspofungin, itraconazole, voriconazole, fluconazole, and ketoconazole against animal-borne isolates of S. brasiliensis. The susceptibility tests were performed through broth microdilution (M38-A2). The results show the relevant activity of itraconazole, amphotericin B, and ketoconazole against S. brasiliensis, with the following MIC ranges: 0.125-2, 0.125-4 and 0.0312-2 μg/ml, respectively. Caspofungin was moderately effective, displaying higher variation in MIC values (0.25-64 μg/ml). Voriconazole (2-64 μg/ml) and fluconazole (62.5-500 μg/ml) showed low activity against S. brasiliensis strains. This study contributed to the characterization of the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of strains of S. brasiliensis recovered from cats with sporotrichosis, which have recently been considered the main source of human infections., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The in vitro activity of the antifungal agents amphotericin B (AMB), itraconazole (ITC), posaconazole (PSC), voriconazole (VRC), and terbinafine (TRB) against 32 Brazilian isolates of Sporothrix brasiliensis, including 16 isolates from a recent (2011-2012) epidemic in Rio de Janeiro state, was examined. We describe and genotype new isolates and clustered them with 16 older (from 2004 or earlier) S. brasiliensis isolates by phylogenetic analysis. We tested both the yeast and the mycelium form of all isolates using broth microdilution methods based on the reference protocols M38-A2 and M27-A3 (recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute). Considering minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs), TRB was found to be the most active drug in vitro for both fungal forms, followed by PSC. Several isolates showed high MICs for AMB and/or ITC, which are currently used as first-line therapy for sporotrichosis. VRC displayed very low activity against S. brasiliensis isolates. The primary morphological modification observed on treated yeasts by transmission electron microscopy analysis was changes in cell wall. Our results indicate that TRB is the antifungal with the best in vitro activity against S. brasiliensis and support the use of TRB as a promising option for the treatment of cutaneous and/or lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Sporotrichosis is an endemic mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii sensu lato. It has gained importance in recent years due to its worldwide prevalence, recognition of multiple cryptic species within the originally described species, and its distinctive ecology, distribution, and epidemiology across the globe. In this review, we describe the current knowledge of the taxonomy, ecology, prevalence, molecular epidemiology, and outbreaks due to S. schenckii sensu lato. Despite its omnipresence in the environment, this fungus has remarkably diverse modes of infection and distribution patterns across the world. We have delved into the nuances of how sporotrichosis is intimately linked to different forms of human activities, habitats, lifestyles, and environmental and zoonotic interactions. The purpose of this review is to stimulate discussion about the peculiarities of this unique fungal pathogen and increase the awareness of clinicians and microbiologists, especially in regions of high endemicity, to its emergence and evolving presentations and to kindle further research into understanding the unorthodox mechanisms by which this fungus afflicts different human populations., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Feline sporotrichosis, which is caused by species of the Sporothrix schenckii complex, is endemic to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More than 4000 cases of the disease were diagnosed at Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil, between 1998 and 2012. Sporotrichosis in cats has been reported in several countries, but nowhere has an outbreak of animal sporotrichosis been as large as that seen in Brazil. The clinical manifestations of the disease range from an isolated skin lesion that can progress to multiple skin lesions and even fatal systemic involvement. Nodules and ulcers are the most common types of lesions, and respiratory signs and mucosa involvement are frequent. The definitive diagnosis depends on isolation of the etiologic agent in culture. Cytology, histopathology, and serology are useful tools for preliminary diagnosis. Severe pyogranulomatous inflammatory infiltrate, high fungal load, and extension of lesions to mucosa, cartilage, and bone in the nose of cats are indicative of an agent of high virulence in this endemic region. Itraconazole is the drug of choice, while, in refractory cases, amphotericin B or potassium iodide might be alternative treatments; however, recurrence after discharge may occur. Sporotrichosis persists as a neglected disease in Rio de Janeiro, and the treatment of cats remains a challenging and long-term endeavor., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The gold standard for the diagnosis of sporotrichosis consists of the isolation and identification of the fungus from clinical exudates and/or biopsy specimens. However, new technologies offer several advantages over the traditional methods because they are noninvasive and more sensitive in the differential diagnosis of infectious diseases. In the present study, we performed a validation, impact evaluation, and analysis of the applicability of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the diagnosis of sporotrichosis in different groups of patients in comparison with the reference protocols for the evaluation of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. We used 177 serum samples that were collected between 1998 and 2008 from patients in a geographic area related to the Rio de Janeiro outbreak of sporotrichosis. The ELISA had a low rate of cross-reactivity based on the reference values for diagnostic tests, and the analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve revealed an area under the curve of 0.9154. Furthermore, higher accuracy was observed in the serodiagnosis of infections in special groups of patients such as pediatric and human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients. We concluded that this ELISA had a good clinical serological correlation and, therefore, can be considered a new diagnostic tool applicable to all clinical presentations of sporotrichosis., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Sporothrix schenckii sensu lato is a complex of thermally dimorphic species whose natural habitats are soil and plant materials. However, the traumatic implantation of the species into human skin is traditionally thought to be the route leading to the fungal disease sporotrichosis. The complex contains Sporotrhix mexicana, S. globosa, S. brasiliensis, S. luriei, in addition to S. schenckii sensu stricto. In this study we evaluated the differences among these species relative to their frequency in the environment and in human hosts, as well as discuss their remarkable diverse pathogenicity. Today, S. brasiliensis is epidemic in and geographically restricted to Brazil. In contrast, S. mexicana and S. globosa have rarely been reported over the decades. We discovered that the species have been present in collections from clinical cases since 1955 and were able to re-identify six isolates originally classified as S. schenckii as Sporothrix mexicana (three isolates) and Sporothrix globosa (three isolates). Despite their long presence as potential human pathogens they have not shown any increase in frequency as etiologic agents of human infections.

Sporotrichosis is endemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and cases have been reported to be associated with HIV. This article describes the clinical manifestations and evolution of sporotrichosis in HIV-positive patients and constitutes the largest case series reported to date. There were 21 HIV-positive patients with sporotrichosis diagnosed by the recovery of the etiologic agent from 1999-2009. Sixteen patients (76.2%) were men and five (23.8%) were women, with a mean age of 41.2 years. Seven of these individuals were previously unaware of their HIV infection. Mean CD4 count was 346.4 cells/μl. The most frequent clinical presentations of sporotrichosis in these patients were the lymphocutaneous and disseminated form (seven patients each, 33.3%), followed by the widespread cutaneous form in five (23.8%), and fixed form in the remaining two (9.5%). In patients with the disseminated forms, clinical manifestations involved the skin in six, mucosa (nasal, oral, or conjunctival) in four, bone in two, and meninges in two. Eleven (52.4%) patients received itraconazole and eight (38.1%) amphotericin B contributing to an overall cure rate of 81%. Spontaneous cure was observed in one patient. The clinical forms of sporotrichosis varied according to the patients' immune status. The results demonstrate the importance of sporotrichosis as an opportunistic infection associated with AIDS in countries where the mycosis occurs.

Since 1998 a cat-transmitted epidemic of sporotrichosis has been observed in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil. Besides the lymphocutaneous and fixed forms, other presentations, such as disseminated cutaneous and mucosal involvement, as well as for the first time, erythema nodosum and erythema multiforme have been reported associated with sporotrichosis. This study investigates the phenotypes and genotypes of Sporothrix schenckii isolates recovered from different clinical forms of the disease noted as part of this epidemic. A total of 88 isolates recovered from 59 cases associated with the epidemic and 29 controls (from cases in other Brazilian regions and Spain) were included in this study. In vitro susceptibility testing was conducted as part of the phenotypic analysis, while the genotypic analysis involved a DNA fingerprinting method with primer M13 and ribosomal DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS). MIC values of amphotericin B, itraconazole, posaconazole, ravuconazole, and terbinafine were found to be significantly lower (P<0.01) for isolates associated with the epidemic than for control strains. No differences in MIC values were observed related to clinical forms of the infection. Fingerprinting analysis showed that RJ epidemic strains were genetically related. Although nine subtypes were found, they were not associated with specific clinical forms. Similar results were obtained with the ITS sequence analysis. These data suggest that the strains isolated from the epidemic cases of sporotrichosis in RJ all originated from a common source.

Although contact with domestic cats has been shown to be a risk factor for sporotrichosis in endemic areas, systematic evaluation of apparently unaffected cats as possible reservoirs for infection has not been explored. The goals of this study were to identify the following aspects of sporotrichosis in the endemic area of Abancay, Peru: (i) the overall prevalence of sporotrichosis in the cat population, (ii) the most common site where the fungus can be isolated from these cats, and (iii) whether cats without identifiable skin lesions may be carriers of the fungus in the oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, or nails. One household cat in each of 85 neighborhoods within the endemic area of Abancay, Peru was randomly selected. Oral and nasal swabs, as well as nail clippings were taken from 84 of the cats. In addition, samples from skin lesions that were suspected to be due to sporotrichosis were collected from cats or members of families that owned the pets. Cultures inoculated with two nasal swabs and one set of nail clippings from two different cats yielded Sporothrix schenckii, the identity of which were confirmed by rDNA sequencing. The overall prevalence of Sporothrix schenckii colonization was 2.38% (95% CI 0.41-9.14) in this cat population. None of the skin lesion samples from the cats and only one such sample from a family member were positive for Sporothrix schenckii in culture. These results suggest a role for domestic cats as a possible reservoir for sporotrichosis infection in Abancay.

A sporotichosis epidemic involving forty-four dogs in the Metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro is described. Solitary skin lesions were noted in 18 dogs (40.9%), 2-4 such lesions were observed in 17 animals (38.6%), and nine (20.5%) animals had five or more lesions. Twenty-five (56.8%) animals had single ulcerated skin lesions on the nose and nine (20.5%) showed nasal mucosal involvement (three of which also has a skin lesion). Respiratory symptoms were observed in 17 (38.6%) dogs and were found to be the most common extracutaneous signs of infection. Anemia, leukocytosis with neutrophilia, hypoalbuminemia and hyperglobulinemia were the most frequent hematological abnormalities. Histopathological analysis of skin biopsies in most cases revealed granulomatous reactions characterized by histiocytic hyperplasia and neutrophil infiltration. Yeast-like cells were observed in seven (16.7%) of 42 dogs examined histologically. During the study, eight (18.2%) animals were lost to follow-up and three (6.8%) were submitted to euthanasia. Of the remaining 33 dogs, five (15.2%) presented spontaneous regression of the lesions, 26 (78.8%) were cured after treatment, and two (6%) continue to be treated. The present cases indicate that many dogs with sporotrichosis respond well to treatment and in a few dogs, the disease may be self-limiting.

We report the first isolation of Sporothrix schenckii from the nail surfaces of cats. The fungus grew from nail clippings of three cats associated with three household outbreaks of sporotrichosis involving cats and human beings. The identification of the isolates was based on macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics at 25 degrees C and conversion of S. schenckii to the yeast-like form at 37 degrees C.

Clinical isolates of Sporothrix schenckii were investigated for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) types using restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns with HaeIII. The 62isolates in South Africa comprised Types 3 (9.7%), 4 (1.6%), 11 (9.7%), 17 (77.4%) and 23 (1.6%) while the 23 Australian isolates comprised Types 3 (26.0%), 4 (56.5%), 7 (8.6%) and 21 (8.6%). In a phylogenetic tree based on the sequence divergence of mtDNA, the mtDNA types were clustered into two groups, A and B. The results suggested that isolates in South Africa mainly belong to Group A and isolates in Australia mainly belong to Group B.