Acute dacryocystitis: another clinical manifestation of sporotrichosis

Abstract

Sporotrichosis associated with exposure to domestic cats is hyperendemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A review of the clinical records at our institute revealed four patients with clinical signs of dacryocystitis and a positive conjunctival culture for Sporothrix who were diagnosed with Sporothrix dacryocystitis. Three patients were children (< 13 years of age) and one patient was an adult. Two patients reported contact with a cat that had sporotrichosis. Dacryocystitis was associated with nodular, ulcerated lesions on the face of one patient and with granulomatous conjunctivitis in two patients; however, this condition manifested as an isolated disease in another patient. All of the patients were cured of the fungal infections, but three patients had chronic dacryocystitis and one patient developed a cutaneous fistula. Sporotrichosis is usually a benign disease, but may cause severe complications when the eye and the adnexa are affected. Physicians, especially ophthalmologists in endemic areas, should be aware of the ophthalmological manifestations and complications of sporotrichosis.

Dacryocystitis due toSporothrix brasiliensis: a case report of a successful clinical and serological outcome with low-dose potassium iodide treatment and oculoplastic surgery

“…Acute dacryocystitis by Sporothrix spp. has been recently reported, although it is still uncommon . Chronic dacryocystitis has been observed as a sequel.…”

“…Rare cases of dacryocystitis caused by Sporothrix spp. have been reported and have resulted in clinical sequelae …”

Morbidity of Chagas heart disease in the microregion of Rio Negro, Amazonian Brazil: a case-control study

“…Thus, the patterns of serological diagnoses differ from those used in the classical endemic regions for Chagas disease in Brazil. Therefore, the recommendation is that serological evaluations of T. cruzi infection in the Amazon Region should be confirmed by at least two techniques with different principles, such as IIF on the serum, ELISAs and, when possible, Western blots ( Coura et al 2013 ).…”

“…More recently (2010/2011), a screening seroepidemiological study using IIF on blood collected in filter paper was performed with 4,480 residents in the study area. In this study, 221 were strongly reactive and were considered positive, while 302 were weakly reactive and were considered doubtful ( Coura et al 2013 ). Ferraroni et al (1977) were the first to serologically confirm chronic cases of Chagas infection among autochthonous patients in the municipality of Barcelos in the microregion of the Negro River, AM.…”

Chagas disease: control, elimination and eradication. Is it possible?

“…AMCHA - Chagas disease in the Amazon Region can be characterised by the following patterns: (i) an enzooty exchanged by wild vectors, which may be transmitted to humans when either they invade the wild ecotope or when the vectors and wild animals, especially marsupials, invade human homes, a situation that characterises an anthropozoonosis ( Coura et al 1993 , 2002 , Coura & Junqueira 2012 ), (ii) an endemic disease through oral transmission of T. cruzi by means of consumption of juices and other uncooked foods and foods contaminated by the faeces and urine of wild triatomines or odoriferous secretion of marsupials, thereby causing acute outbreaks of the disease ( Valente et al 1999 , 2009 , Pinto et al 2003 , 2008 , Coura 2006 , Coura & Junqueira 2012 , Souza-Lima et al 2013 ) and (iii) a professional disease among people who work in plant extraction, especially piassava gatherers, who suffer attacks by wild triatomines ( Rhodnius brethesi ) ( Brum-Soares et al 2010 , Coura & Junqueira 2012 , Coura et al 2013 ). The AMCHA began officially in 2004, at a meeting held in Manaus, Brazil, after a preparatory meeting held in Palmari, on the border of Brazil and Colombia in 2002, promoted by European Community Latin America Triatominae ( Guhl & Schofield 2004 ).…”