title: Disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis in an immunocompetent individual.
abstract: Sporotrichosis is a subacute or chronic fungal infection caused by the ubiquitous fungus Sporothrix schenckii. Disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis is an uncommon entity and is usually present in the immunosuppressed. Here, a case of disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis in an immunocompetent patient is reported. This 70-year-old healthy woman presented with multiple painful ulcerated nodules on her face and upper and lower extremities of 6-month duration, associated with low-grade fever, night sweats, loss of appetite, and loss of weight. Histopathological examination of the skin biopsy revealed epidermal hyperplasia and granulomatous inflammation in the dermis, with budding yeast. Fungal culture identified S. schenckii. She had total resolution of the lesions after 2 weeks of intravenous amphotericin B and 8 months of oral itraconazole. All investigations for underlying immunosuppression and internal organ involvement were negative. This case reiterates that disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis, although common in the immunosuppressed, can also be seen in immunocompetent patients.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Jalan Pahang, 50586 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. woodzlamp@yahoo.com
authors: Felix Boon-Bin
authors: FB
authors: Yap
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013175:Sporothrix / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013174:Sporotrichosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B