Sporotrichosis-An Occupational Mycosis

Sporotrichosis is a chronic infection usually limited to cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues. It involves all layers of skin and the subcutaneous lymphatic. The disease is caused by a dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii. The fungus, present in nature in a variety of plants and soil, invades through a skin injury. Many times, the injury to the skin is so minor that it goes unrecognized and neglected. The fungus produces an indolent lesion which appears as a small erythernatous nodule which may remain localized or spread centrally though the local lymphatics, establishing a chain of granulomatous, ulcerating nodules. Sporotrichosis generally affects the exposed parts of the body, namely, the hands, arms and legs. Pulmonary sporotrichosis presumably results from inhalation of the fungal spores and occurs only rarely in humans with a variety of underlying conditions such as sarcoidosis, malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus, and chronic alcoholism. The infection may disseminate beyond lungs to become a generalized infection involving bones, joints, and the central nervous system (Goodman, 1983; Kaplan et. al., 1982; Kwon-Chung and Bennett, 1982; Rippon, 1988; Scott et. al., 1987). Extracutaneous sporotrichosis shows a marked male predominance (6: 1) in widely scattered geographic areas. Even though the cutaneous disease affects men and women of all ages, majority of cases observed are among males between 25-40 years of age.

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Author(s): Arvind A. Padhye

Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 1995

Event: Western Forest and Conservation Nursery Association Meeting
1995 - Kearney, NE