Abstract
Sporotrichosis is a worldwide distributed subcutaneous mycosis that affects mammals, including human beings. The infection is caused by members of the Sporothrix pathogenic clade, which includes Sporothrix schenckii, Sporothrix brasiliensis, and Sporothrix globosa. The fungus can be acquired through traumatic inoculation of conidia growing in vegetal debris or by zoonotic transmission from sick animals. Although is not considered a life-threatening disease, it is an emergent health problem that affects mostly immunocompromised patients. The sporotrichosis causative agents differ in their virulence, host range, and sensitivity to antifungal drugs; therefore, it is relevant to understand the molecular bases of their pathogenesis, interaction with immune effectors, and mechanisms to acquired resistance to antifungal compounds. Murine models are considered the gold standard to address these questions; however, some alternative hosts offer numerous advantages over mammalian models, such as invertebrates like Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor, or ex vivo models, which are useful tools to approach questions beyond virulence, without the ethical or budgetary features associated with the use of animal models. In this review, we analyze the different models currently used to study the host-Sporothrix interaction.
Highlights
Sporotrichosis is a benign subcutaneous mycosis that shows different clinical manifestations, with lesions usually restricted to the skin, subcutaneous tissue, or adjacent lymphatic vessels
The study showed that S. brasiliensis clinical isolates had increased pathogenicity when compared with S. schenckii, with persistent skin lesions in mice and a higher ability to disseminate, with significant fungal load observed in the lungs and spleen, that lead to 100% mortality of infected mice (Castro et al, 2013)
Because of all the above-described examples, it is clear that the subcutaneous model of sporotrichosis in mice can serve as a reference to study Sporothrix pathogenesis and host immune responses, contributing to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the subcutaneous infection
Summary
Sporotrichosis is a worldwide distributed subcutaneous mycosis that affects mammals, including human beings. Is not considered a life-threatening disease, it is an emergent health problem that affects mostly immunocompromised patients. The sporotrichosis causative agents differ in their virulence, host range, and sensitivity to antifungal drugs; it is relevant to understand the molecular bases of their pathogenesis, interaction with immune effectors, and mechanisms to acquired resistance to antifungal compounds. Murine models are considered the gold standard to address these questions; some alternative hosts offer numerous advantages over mammalian models, such as invertebrates like Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor, or ex vivo models, which are useful tools to approach questions beyond virulence, without the ethical or budgetary features associated with the use of animal models.
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