Sporotrichosis on Darker Skin: Epidemiology and Etiology

00:01 Sporotrichosis is caused by the fungus called Sporothrix schenckii.

00:07 It's often found on decaying vegetation, rose bushes, twigs, hay, and much rich soil.

00:15 It's also known as the Rose Gardner disease due to its tendency to present after a thorn injury. The transmission routes through the skin.

00:28 One can get this infection through small cuts, scratches or punctures from thorns, barbs, pine needles, or wires. In very rare cases, spore laden dust can be inhaled or ingested.

00:44 So the clinical presentation really depends on the severity of the infection.

00:50 But involvement of the skin is the most common.

00:54 The other organs, like the lung, bones, can also be involved.

01:00 Dissemination of the disease does happen in immunocompromised patients.

01:07 Let's have a look at the types of of sporotrichosis.

01:11 Lymphoid cutaneous sporotrichosis.

01:13 The most common form and papule develops days to weeks after the inoculation, and this is also known as a sporotrichoid chancre.

01:24 The primary lesion ulcerates and drains petulant material and is called the gummy lesion. Similar lesions may occur along the lymphatic channels, and this is what we call the sporotrichoid spread.

01:40 So one can see the initial lesion on the middle finger and the rest of the lesions that you see on the arm.

01:52 So we call those secondary lesions and that you see along the side of lymphatic drainage.

02:00 Hence the name sporotrichoid spread.

02:06 This is an extensive ulceration of the primary lesion.

02:11 And one can also see the secondary lesions again following a linear pattern.

02:16 The sporotrichoid spread on the abdomen.

02:21 Another type of sporotrichosis is called fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis.

02:26 Here the lesion occurs at the site of the inoculation.

02:29 Hence fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis.

02:33 It's usually asymptomatic.

02:35 It's a unitary solitary lesion, which may be vegetative or slow growing with a verrucous hue to it.

02:45 The other type, which is quite rare, is disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis, and it's usually seen in patients who are immunocompromised.

02:53 It may involve any part of the body, including mucous membranes.

02:58 And you can see on this patient the extensive involvement.