Sporotrichosis is an infectious disease caused by the fungus Sporothrix schenckii , which can be found naturally in soil and plants. The fungus infection happens when this microorganism manages to enter the body through a wound present in the skin, leading to the formation of small wounds or reddish lumps similar to mosquito bites, for example.
This disease can happen in both humans and animals, with cats being the most affected. Thus, sporotrichosis in humans can also be transmitted by scratching or biting cats, especially those living on the street.
There are 3 main types of sporotrichosis:
- Cutaneous sporotrichosis, which is the most common type of human sporotrichosis in which the skin is affected, especially the hands and arms; Pulmonary sporotrichosis, which is quite rare but can happen when you breathe dust with the fungus; Disseminated sporotrichosis, which happens when the proper treatment is not done and the disease spreads to other places, such as bones and joints, being more common in people with compromised immune systems.
In most cases, the treatment of sporotrichosis is easy, requiring only an antifungal for 3 to 6 months. Therefore, if there is a suspicion of catching any disease after being in contact with a cat, for example, it is very important to go to the general practitioner or infectious disease to make the diagnosis and start the treatment.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for human sporotrichosis should be done according to the doctor's guidance, and the use of antifungal drugs, such as Itraconazole, is usually indicated for 3 to 6 months.
In the case of disseminated sporotrichosis, which is when other organs are affected by the fungus, it may be necessary to use another antifungal, such as Amphotericin B, which should be used for about 1 year or according to the doctor's recommendation.
It is important that the treatment is not interrupted without medical advice, even with the disappearance of symptoms, as this may favor the development of fungi resistance mechanisms and, thus, make the treatment of the disease more complicated.
Symptoms of Sporotrichosis in humans
The first signs and symptoms of sporotrichosis in humans can appear about 7 to 30 days after contact with the fungus, the first sign of infection being the appearance of a small, red and painful lump on the skin similar to mosquito bites. Other symptoms indicative of sporotrichosis are:
- Emergence of ulcerated lesions with pus; Sore or lump that grows over a few weeks; Wounds that do not heal; Cough, shortness of breath, pain when breathing and fever, when the fungus reaches the lungs.
It is important that treatment is started quickly to avoid both respiratory and joint complications, such as swelling, pain in the limbs and difficulty performing movements, for example.
How to confirm the diagnosis
Sporotrichosis infection in the skin is usually identified by biopsy of a small sample of lump tissue that appears on the skin. However, if the infection is elsewhere in the body, it is necessary to have a blood test to identify the presence of the fungus in the body or microbiological analysis of the injury that the person has.
