Sporotrichosis: Causes, Symptoms, Daignosis, Prevention and Treatment

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Sporotrichosis
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Sporotrichosis

• Sporotrichosis is a rare infection which is
  caused by a fungus known as sporothrix. This
  fungus lives throughout the world in soil and on
  plant matter like sphagnum moss, rose bushes, and
  hay. One can suffer from sporotrichosis by just
  coming in contact with the fungal spores in the
  environment.Cutaneous (skin) infection is the
  most common form of the infection. It happens
  when the fungus enters the skin through a small
  cut or scrape, usually after handling
  contaminated plant matter. Most cases of
  sporotrichosis have been linked with scratches or
  bites from animals, particularly cats.

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Types of sporotrichosis

• Cutaneous sporotrichosis is the most common form
  of the infection. It usually happens on a
  persons hand or the arm after they have been
  handling contaminated plant matter.
• Pulmonary (lung) sporotrichosis is very rare
  condition but can happen after someone breathes
  in fungal spores from the environment.
• Disseminated sporotrichosis happens when the
  infection spreads to another part of the body,
  like the bones, joints, or the central nervous
  system. This form of sporotrichosis generally
  affects people who have weakened immune systems,
  like people with HIV infection.

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How is sporotrichosis diagnosed?

• Sporotrichosis is typically diagnosed when your
  doctor takes a small tissue sample (biopsy) of
  the infected area of the body. The sample is sent
  to laboratory for tests to find out what is
  causing the infection. Blood tests can help
  diagnose severe sporotrichosis, but they often
  cant diagnose a cutaneous infection.

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Symptoms of sporotrichosis

• The symptoms of sporotrichosis rely on where the
  fungus is growing. Contact your doctor if you
  have symptoms that you think are related to
  sporotrichosis.Sporotrichosis usually affects
  the skin or tissues underneath the skin. Usually
  the first symptom of cutaneous sporotrichosis is
  small, painless bump that can be developed at any
  time from 1 to 12 weeks after exposure to the
  fungus.The bump can be red, pink, or purple,
  and it usually appears on the finger, hand, or
  arm where the fungus has entered through a break
  in the skin.

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Symptoms of sporotrichosis
Continue

• The bump will eventually grow larger and may
  look like an open sore or ulcer that is very slow
  to heal. Additional bumps or sores may appear
  later near the original one.Pulmonary (lung)
  sporotrichosis is less commonly occurred than the
  cutaneous form of the infection. Some of the
  symptoms of pulmonary sporotrichosis include
  cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and
  fever.Symptoms of disseminated sporotrichosis
  basicdepend on the body part affected. For
  example, infection of the joints can cause joint
  pain that may be confused with rheumatoid
  arthritis. Infections of the central nervous
  system can involve difficulty thinking, headache,
  and seizures.

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How is sporotrichosis treated?

• Most cases of sporotrichosis only involve the
  skin or the tissues underneath the skin. It must
  be treated with prescription antifungal
  medication for several months and these
  infections are not life threatening. The most
  common treatment for this type of sporotrichosis
  is itraconazole, taken by mouth for 3 to 6
  months.Supersaturated potassium iodide (SSKI)
  is another treatment option that is available for
  cutaneous (skin) sporotrichosis. However, SSKI
  and azole drugs such as itraconazole should not
  be used at the time of pregnancy.

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How is sporotrichosis treated?
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• Patients who are suffering with severe forms of
  sporotrichosis are usually treated with
  amphotericin B, which is given through a vein.
  Often itraconazole is used after the initial
  treatment with amphotericin B, for a total of at
  least 1 year of antifungal treatment. People
  suffering with sporotrichosis in the lungs may
  also need surgery to cut away the infected
  tissue.

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