Primary conjunctival sporotrichosis: two cases from a zoonotic epidemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To describe Sporothrix schenckii conjunctivitis in 2 owners of cats with sporotrichosis.


METHODS
Small case series and literature review.


RESULTS
Two women had been caring for their pet cats with sporotrichosis for 2 months but did not recall any traumatic injury such as scratches or bites. Each presented a conjunctival granulomatous lesion measuring 4 to 5 mm accompanied by local hyperemia, secretion, and edema, in addition to painful facial subcutaneous nodes and regional lymph node enlargement. Pyogenic material was collected from the conjunctival sac and from cutaneous lesions on the cats. In both the patients and their respective cats, fungal colonies were isolated and identified as S. schenckii. Treatment with oral itraconazole 100 mg/d for 3 months resulted in complete healing of lesions in both patients. Patients remained clinically cured 15 months after end of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Sporotrichosis is presently occurring as an emerging zoonosis in Rio de Janeiro, and some unusual clinical forms have been diagnosed in humans. The cases reported here suggest atraumatic exposure to cats infected by S. schenckii.
Schubach
Armando
A
Serviço de Zoonoses, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. armando@ipec.fiocruz.br
de Lima Barros
Mônica Bastos
MB
Schubach
Tânia Maria Pacheco
TM
Francesconi-do-Valle
Antônio Carlos
AC
Gutierrez-Galhardo
Maria Clara
MC
Sued
Márcio
M
de Matos Salgueiro
Mariza
M
Fialho-Monteiro
Paulo Cezar
PC
Reis
Rosani Santos
RS
Marzochi
Keyla Belizia Feldman
KB
Wanke
Bodo
B
Conceição-Silva
Fátima
F
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases; D002415:Cats; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013174:Sporotrichosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D017964:Itraconazole