Epidemiological Findings and Laboratory Evaluation of Sporotrichosis: A Description of 103 Cases in Cats and Dogs in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis, which affects mainly small animals, and is considered an important public health disease. This paper describes the epidemiological and laboratory characteristics of 103 clinical cases of sporotrichosis diagnosed over a 10-year period in southern Brazil. The 92 cats and 11 dogs from eight municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul State developed especially the disseminated cutaneous and fixed cutaneous forms of the disease. Respiratory signs such as sneezing, serous nasal discharge and dyspnea were found in about 57% of the animals. The detection of Sporothrix schenckii in different clinical samples showed highest isolation in testicles (46.6%), oral cavity (45.2%) and conjunctival mucosa (38.1%). A differentiated histological pattern was found between the fixed cutaneous and disseminated cutaneous (DC) manifestations of the disease; well-organized granulomas of nodular distribution and various fungal structures prevailed in the DC form in cats. Melanin detection in S. schenckii cells by the Fontana-Masson technique was positive in 45.4% of the samples. The study revealed that the State of Rio Grande do Sul is an endemic sporotrichosis area and demonstrated the possibility of involvement of other pathways in the infection and spread of the disease. In addition, it emphasized the importance of laboratory tests for mycosis confirmation, especially in dogs that develop clinical manifestations without the presence of cutaneous lesions.

The epidemiological scenario of feline sporotrichosis in Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…S porotrichosis in cats has been registered in several countries, but nowhere in the world has there been a reported outbreak of animal sporotrichosis of this magnitude. Feline cases have been reported in other Brazilian states during the last 20 years, especially in Rio Grande do Sul 8,9 and São Paulo 10 . However, the reported number in the 2 largest studies in these regions totaled 120 cats 9,10 , which highlights the severity of the epidemiological situation occurring in Rio de Janeiro.…”

Disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis in patient with alcoholism

“…Sporotrichosis is a subacute or chronic subcutaneous mycosis caused by a dimorphic and geophilic fungus, Sporothrix spp, which can infect humans and other mammals 1,2 . Infection occurs through trauma to the skin through contaminated wood, soil and decomposing plants, as well as abrasions or bites from contaminated animals, particularly domestic cats, which are primarily responsible for the current increase of cases in humans in the Brazilian territory 1,3,4 .…”

“…Infection occurs through trauma to the skin through contaminated wood, soil and decomposing plants, as well as abrasions or bites from contaminated animals, particularly domestic cats, which are primarily responsible for the current increase of cases in humans in the Brazilian territory 1,3,4 .…”

Anti- Sporothrix spp. activity of medicinal plants

“…Chronic or subacute, the clinical manifestations of sporotrichosis occur in dependence of the host immune status, commonly resulting in limited damage to the dermis, with or without involvement of the lymphatic system in humans and animals, which can produce subcutaneous nodules, and may also produce manifestations in the respiratory system, such as dyspnea, nasal discharge and sneezing (Schubach, Barros, Wanke, 2008;Barros et al, 2010;Madrid et al, 2012).…”

“…The therapeutic protocol adopted must be associated with clinical monitoring of the patient, especially in felines because they are sensitive to many medications (Nobre et al, 2002;Madrid et al, 2012). Toxic effects has been cited in cats and dogs treated with azoles, such as anorexia, emesis and hepatotoxic signs, as well as lethal cases in cats treated with saturated sodium solutions or 20% potassium iodide (Larsson, 2011).…”