State‐of‐the‐art Clinical Article

Sporothrix schenckii and sporotrichosis

“…Sporothrix schenckii was also isolated from oral swabs of three (n = 84, 3.57%) apparently healthy cats in domiciliary contact with the affected animals . Isolation of the fungus from the nails and oral cavities of cats reinforces evidence indicating that transmission can occur through a scratch or bite, whereas isolation from nasal fossae and cutaneous lesions, together with the wealth of yeast-like elements observed in histological sections of skin biopsies (Schubach et al 2003b(Schubach et al , 2004, demonstrates the possibility of contamination through secretions (Rosser and Dunstan 1998, Kauffman 1999, Schubach et al 2004). The results of molecular typing of S. schenckii isolated from humans and animals support this hypothesis (Reis R, personal communication).…”

“…Generally, infection results from inoculation of the fungus through thorns, splinters, scratches and small traumas during leisure and occupational ac- tivities such as floriculture, horticulture, gardening, fi shing, hunting, farming and cattle raising, mining, and wood exploration (Mackinnon et al 1969, Mayorga et al 1978, Read and Sperling 1982, Rippon 1988, Kauffman 1999, Lopes et al 1999, Pappas et al 2000, Barros et al 2003. Laboratory professionals can be infected accidentally while manipulating S. schenckii cultures (Thompson andKaplan 1977, Cooper et al 1992).…”

Excretion-secretion products and proteases from live Sporothrix schenckii yeast phase: immunological detection and cleavage of human IgG

“…The offering of different antigens to the immune system is accompanied by the production of new antibodies by the host; however, this qualitative and quantitative change is not followed by an effective clarification of the yeasts from tissues or circulation, and the infection typically proceeds to chronicity 9,15 .…”

“…Of worldwide distribution its frequency varies among different countries 15 . Because of the saprophytic association of Ss and plants, the fungus entry into the body usually occurs through trauma or scratches produced by thorns, splinters or even contaminated tree bark and timber.…”

“…Recently, a widespread transmission among cats and to humans in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been described 27 . However, in Uruguay its transmission is predominantly tied to the hunt of the armadillo (Dasypus hybridus) particularity that shares with the northeast of Argentina 9,15,26 .…”