Genus Sporothrix Research Articles

Geographical distribution of sporotrichosis in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro

Sporotrichosis is a cutaneous mycosis, it´s etiological agent belongs to the genus Sporothrix. The zoonotic transmission has become the major form of the disease aquisition in Brazil, and the state of Rio de Janeiro has been pointed as the epicenter of the epidemic of sporotrichosis in the country. The notifications of positive cases are currently rising, both in humans and domestic animals, so that the disease is related to hospitalizations and deaths in Brazil, demonstrating it’s relevance to the public health. The objective of this paper is to describe the spacial data of the zoonosis in Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, demonstrating it’s evolution in the period from 2016 to 2019. The diagnosis was made by collecting material from suspected lesions of cats and dogs with the aid of sterile swab and the diagnosis was realized through culture on 4% Sabouraud dextrose agar plus chloramphenicol and cyclohexamide incubeted at 25-30°C, for approximately 10 to 15 days. The results demonstrated that there was a wide spread of the disease throughout the city in the period studied, with an increase on the number of positive cases and neighborhoods afected. The high incidence of cases and evolution of the geografical distribution of sporotrichosis in the municipality during the analyzed period reveal great concern related to public health in the region.

Synthesis of Hydroxybenzodiazepines with Potential Antioxidant and Antifungal Action

Benzodiazepines derivatives are nitrogen heterocyclic compounds that have various industrial, synthetic, and medicinal applications. Therefore, its potential fully justifies every effort towards the improvement of new, selective, and competent production of these heterocyclic compounds. The novelty of this study encompasses the synthesis of new hydroxylated analogs of 1,5-benzodiazepine together with the evaluation of their biological potential as antioxidants and antifungals candidates. Additionally, the reported antifungal activity against fungi of the Sporothrix schenckii complex inaugurates an unprecedented property for this class of compounds. The results of biological activities assays suggest that the novel 2,7-dimethyl-2,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydro1H-1,5-benzodiazepine possesses a high antifungal activity against all fungal strains evaluated of the Sporothrix genus and outstanding total antioxidant capacity. Besides, in silico studies have evidenced that the hydroxylated derivatives have the best aqueous solubility and cell permeability profile, which makes them superior in comparison with the commercial antifungal itraconazole, a drug commonly used in the treatment of sporotrichosis.

Case Report: Sweet Syndrome in Patients with Sporotrichosis: A 10-Case Series.

Human sporotrichosis is an emerging disease caused by fungi of the genus Sporothrix, distributed worldwide, but mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. This disease is caused by traumatic inoculation of contaminated material (either animal or vegetal in origin) into the skin. Sporotrichosis cases caused by zoonotic transmission through felines have significantly increased over the last 20 years in Brazil. There is a spectrum of clinical outcomes, from classical lymphocutaneous and fixed forms to disseminated manifestations and extracutaneous lesions; however, hypersensitivity reactions related to sporotrichosis, including Sweet syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatoses), are uncommon. In Brazil, Sporothrix brasiliensis is repeatedly associated with feline infection and has consistently shown higher virulence, tendency to escalate to outbreaks or epidemics, and development of atypical forms. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to report the cases of 10 patients with sporotrichosis infected by S. brasiliensis species who developed Sweet syndrome to alert this association, especially in endemic areas.

Comparative proteomics in the three major human pathogenic species of the genus Sporothrix

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis of humans and other mammals, caused by dimorphic species of the genus Sporothrix. In Brazil, human disease is broadly linked to transmission by infected cats and is mainly caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis, Sporothrix schenckii and Sporothrix globosa. In this study, we used a nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry approach to provide the yeast proteomic profiles of S. brasiliensis, S. schenckii and S. globosa. From a total of 247 identified proteins, 137 were found as differentially expressed. Functional classification revealed that most are related to carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism as well as stress response. Our data indicate that S. brasiliensis metabolism is distinct of that of S. schenckii and S. globosa, mainly regarding amino acid metabolism and cell wall remodeling, which are induced in the former. Enzymes belonging to glycolytic pathway are, on the other hand, up-regulated in S. schenckii and S. globosa. These findings may explain the previously described more virulent character of S. brasiliensis. Besides complementing genomic comparisons already published, this first comparative proteomic study provided information that indicates new aspects of Sporothrix species metabolism as well as offers information that may be useful in the development of prospective functional studies.

Transient Foxp3(+) regulatory T-cell depletion enhances protective Th1/Th17 immune response in murine sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii

The role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) on protective immunity in fungal infections, is controversial. Sporotrichosis is an emerging and worldwide-distributed subcutaneous mycosis caused by various related thermodimorphic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. Previously, we showed an elevated percent of Tregs around 21 days post-infection (dpi) in C57BL/6 mice infected with either Sporothrix schenckii or Sporothrix brasiliensis, but the effect of these cells in the ongoing infection was not evaluated. Here, we aim to characterize the role of Foxp3+ Tregs in a subcutaneous S. schenckii infection model. The flow cytometric analyses showed that S. schenckii infection elicited an expansion of a splenic CD4+Foxp3+ population, including a subset of Helioslow+ after ex vivo stimulation with S. schenckii-heat killed yeast. Depletion of Tregs in DEREG mice revealed a reduction of fungal burden in the skin and systemically in liver and kidneys, associated with enhanced Th1 and Th17 responses. Altogether, our results reveal for the first time that Tregs depletion in ongoing S. schenckii infection improves the protective antifungal immunity and these data suggest that Tregs modulation could be explored as a potential therapeutic strategy in sporotrichosis.

Canine sporotrichosis: polyphasic taxonomy and antifungal susceptibility profiles of Sporothrix species in an endemic area in Brazil.

Sporotrichosis, a mycosis caused by pathogenic species of the genus Sporothrix, affects diverse species of mammals. Until 2007, Sporothrix schenckii was considered the unique etiologic agent of sporotrichosis. Canine sporotrichosis is a poorly reported disease, and the majority of cases are from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There are scarce studies on the characterization of canine isolates of Sporothrix schenckii complex, as well as few antifungal susceptibility data available. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical isolates of Sporothrix from dogs from Brazil at species level and evaluate their antifungal susceptibility profile. Polyphasic taxonomy was used to characterization at species level (morphological, phenotypical characteristics, and molecular identification). Antifungal susceptibility profiles (amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, and terbinafine) were determined using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method (M38-A2). According to phenotypic identification and molecular analysis, 46 isolates included in this study were identified as S. brasiliensis and one as S. schenckii. Amphotericin B presented the highest minimum inhibitory concentration values, and the other drugs showed effective in vitro antifungal activity. This is the first report of S. schenckii in dogs from Brazil, since S. brasiliensis is the only species that has been described in canine isolates from Rio de Janeiro to date. Nevertheless, no differences were observed in the antifungal susceptibility profiles between the S. brasiliensis and S. schenckii isolates, and it is important to continuously study new canine clinical isolates from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Geographical distribution and ecological niche modeling of the etiological agents of human sporotrichosis in Venezuela.

The geographical distribution and ecological niche of the two circulating species of the Sporothrix genus in Venezuela was established. For this, 68 isolates of Sporothrix spp. from patients of different regions of the country were analyzed. A molecular taxonomy analysis was conducted using a fragment of the calmodulin gene (CAL), and ITS regions, confirming the presence of S. schenckii (62%) and S. globosa (38%). Computational models of ecological niche for each species were obtained by the maximum entropy method using the MaxEnt software, which predicted the best environmental conditions for the presence of the two species. These models predict that the main variables influencing the presence of S. schenckii were altitude and annual mean temperature, while for S. globosa, the more influent variable was the land use, with 82% of S. globosa located at urban areas vs 56% for S. schenckii. The results here presented could contribute to understand the specific environmental factors that might modulate the occurrence of Sporothrix spp. as well as its transmission. To our knowledge, our analyses show for the first time Sporothrix spp.-specific ecological niche data, a valuable tool to promote evidence-based public health policymaking within endemic areas of sporotrichosis.

Seroepidemiological survey on sporotrichosis-infection in rural areas of the south of Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by traumatic inoculation into the skin by fungi species of the genus Sporothrix. The disease has different clinical manifestations (cutaneous, lymphocutaneous, and disseminated), and can also progress to a systemic infection. Despite having a worldwide distribution, sporotrichosis is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries. In Brazil, reports of the disease are higher frequent, where cases of the disease were found in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Pernambuco, and Paraiba, among others. Certain groups of people may be more exposed to the causative agent of disease, such as residents of rural areas. Thus, this work aimed to carry out a seroepidemiological survey of the prevalence of sporotrichosis in four rural locations in the south of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. In this study, we used an indirect ELISA test in the survey on the prevalence of sporotrichosis. Data obtained in this study evaluated a population of 631 individuals and showed a prevalence of 44.69%. The distribution of seroprevalence of sporotrichosis with respect to age groups and gender showed no significant statistical difference. Thus, we found a high seroprevalence of sporotrichosis-infection in rural regions of southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with no difference in prevalence in relation to gender and age.

Proteomic analysis of Sporothrix schenckii cell wall reveals proteins involved in oxidative stress response induced by menadione

Sporotrichosis is an emergent subcutaneous mycosis that is a threat to both humans and other animals. Sporotrichosis is acquired by the traumatic implantation of species of the Sporothrix genus. Added to the detoxification systems, pathogenic fungi possess different mechanisms that allow them to survive within the phagocytic cells of their human host during the oxidative burst. These mechanisms greatly depend from the cell wall (CW) since phagocytic cells recognize pathogens through specific receptors associated to the structure. To date, there are no studies addressing the modulation of the expression of S. schenckii CW proteins (CWP) in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, in this work, a proteomic analysis of the CW of S. schenckii in response to the oxidative agent menadione (O2•−) was performed. Proteins that modulate their expression were identified which can be related to the fungal survival mechanisms within the phagocyte. Among the up-regulated CWP in response to the oxidative agent, 13 proteins that could be involved in the mechanisms of oxidative stress response in S. schenckii were identified. The proteins identified were thioredoxin1 (Trx1), superoxide dismutase (Sod), GPI-anchored cell wall protein, β-1,3-endoglucanase EglC, glycoside hydrolase (Gh), chitinase, CFEM domain protein, glycosidase crf1, covalently-linked cell wall protein (Ccw), 30 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp30), lipase, trehalase (Treh), fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (Fba1) and citrate synthase (Cs). The identification of CWP that modulates their expression in response to superoxide ion (O2•−) in S. schenckii is a useful approach to understand how the fungus defends itself against ROS, in order to evade the phagocytic cells from the host and cause the infection.

A novel Sporothrix brasiliensis genomic variant in Midwestern Brazil: evidence for an older and wider sporotrichosis epidemic

ABSTRACT Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous infection caused by fungi from the genus Sporothrix. It is transmitted by inoculation of infective particles found in plant-contaminated material or diseased animals, characterizing the classic sapronotic and emerging zoonotic transmission, respectively. Since 1998, southeastern Brazil has experienced a zoonotic sporotrichosis epidemic caused by S. brasiliensis, centred in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Our observation of feline sporotrichosis cases in Brasília (Midwestern Brazil), around 900 km away from Rio de Janeiro, led us to question whether the epidemic caused by S. brasiliensis has spread from the epicentre in Rio de Janeiro, emerged independently in the two locations, or if the disease has been present and unrecognized in Midwestern Brazil. A retrospective analysis of 91 human and 4 animal cases from Brasília, ranging from 1993 to 2018, suggests the occurrence of both sapronotic and zoonotic transmission. Molecular typing of the calmodulin locus identified S. schenckii as the agent in two animals and all seven human patients from which we were able to recover clinical isolates. In two other animals, the disease was caused by S. brasiliensis. Whole-genome sequence typing of seven Sporothrix spp. strains from Brasília and Rio de Janeiro suggests that S. brasiliensis isolates from Brasília are genetically distinct from those obtained at the epicentre of the outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, both in phylogenomic and population genomic analyses. The two S. brasiliensis populations seem to have separated between 2.2 and 3.1 million years ago, indicating independent outbreaks or that the zoonotic S. brasiliensis outbreak might have started earlier and be more widespread in South America than previously recognized.

The interaction between Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto and Sporothrix brasiliensis with Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Sporotrichosis is a group of zoonotic subcutaneous mycoses, found worldwide and caused by fungi belonging to the genus Sporothrix. Protozoans of the genus Acanthamoeba are widely distributed, and some species may be pathogenic and/or opportunistic. These organisms coexist in the same environment and may interact. This study determined the profile of interactions of Sschenckii sensu stricto and Sbrasiliensis with Acastellanii, using an in vitro co-culture model to evaluate the intrinsic characteristics of the two Sporothrix species and Acastellanii. We compared the rate of phagocytosis of Sschenckii sensu stricto and Sbrasiliensis by Acastellanii; the viability of Sschenckii sensu stricto and Sbrasiliensis after contact with Acastellanii; the viability of the amoeba after contact with a fungal species; and the influence of Sschenckii sensu stricto and Sbrasiliensis on the encystment process of Acastellanii. The analyses indicated that Acastellanii phagocytised both Sschenckii and Sbrasiliensis, with significantly more Sschenckii than Sbrasiliensis in the first two hours of contact. Our results showed a significant increase in conidia and hyphae count after 72hours of co-culture of Acastellanii with Sbrasiliensis, and the amoebae lysed after they ingested the fungi, indicating that the fungi probably used the amoebae as a source of nutrition. Our results were obtained in vitro and these organisms may not behave similarly in vivo; in vivo studies of co-infections are necessary in order to gaina thorough understandingof this relationship.

Analysis of the Diversity of Microscopic Fungi in the Soils of Adjara, Georgia

The publication deals with the studies on the diversity of species composition of fungi in various layers of soils (red, sod-podzolic, marsh, urban) of the Adjara. The aim of the study was to identify and determine the composition of fungi; Establishment of the scale of development and spread of fungi in adverse and favorable conditions; Ecological status evaluation of soils in Batumi City. For the isolation of fungi in various soil samples, a sterilization method, serial dilution, and a scattering method were used. The presence of fungi was detected in various soil samples based on morphological characteristics, percentage frequency, growth rate, and colony forming units. The study has found 59 species taxa of soil fungi, belonging to the divisions of Ascomyota (39 species), Zygomyta (15 species), Basidiomycota (2 species), Deuteromycota (3 species). 7 species of fungi involved in forming of the consortium have been specified as well. The most widely distributed fungi in soil samples were of the genera Aspergillus (A. flavus, A. niger, A. versicolor), Paecilomyces (P. variotii), Trichoderma (T. koningii, T. hamatum, T. polysporum, T. viride), Mucor (M. circinelloides, M. hiemalis, M. racemosus, Mucor sp.), Rhizopus (R. oryzae) the genus of phytopathogens Fusarium (F. oxysporum, F. solani), Verticilium (V. lateritium, V. sp.), Phytophthora (Ph. Sp.), Rhizoctonia (R. sp.), Pythium (P. sp) and of genus Sporothrix (S. schenckii). Mong them Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Chaetomium sp. And Acremonium sp. were dominant fungi in all soil samples. Frequency percentage showed that marsh soil is rich in fungal population as compared to red and sod-podzolic soils, yet the greatest biomass is inorganic soil. A lower level of biological activity in the urban soils was found. Morphometric trait differences in test objects activated on the soil samples have been observed. The study was found specialized species of fungi from each ecotype of soil. The soil samples collected from polluted sites were more affected by waste water which affected the population densities of fungi. Experiments have shown that Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Fusarium oxysporum, Trichoderma koningii, T. Hamatum and T. Viride grew well on contaminated soil containing heavy metals. On this basis, we will study them further in order to determine their stability to heavy metals.

Geo-epidemiology and socioeconomic aspects of human sporotrichosis in the municipality of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2007 and 2016.

Sporotrichosis is usually caused by the traumatic inoculation of pathogenic species of fungi of the genus Sporothrix. The most prevalent species in Brazil is Sporothrix brasiliensis, which is generally associated with transmission involving infected cats. Sporotrichosis is hyperendemic in the state of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias is one of the most affected municipalities. This was a cross-sectional, geo-epidemiological and socioeconomic study of human sporotrichosis in the municipality of Duque de Caxias using geoprocessing information for the construction of thematic maps. Eight hundred and twenty-seven cases of sporotrichosis from Duque de Caxias were reported between 2007 and 2016, most of them in women from 25-59 years. The most affected areas had low per capita income and scarce supply of treated water. Human sporotrichosis expanded throughout the territory of the municipality over time. An increase in both the number of reported cases and their spatial distribution occurred throughout the studied decade. The concentration of the disease was more intense in areas with greater vulnerability of the population, expressed by low per capita income and deficient provision of basic sanitation services. Sporotrichosis requires measures to better control the disease in Duque de Caxias and in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Microscopic soil fungi - bioindicators organisms contaminated soil

In the paper there are considered methodological issues for the evaluation of soil biota in terms of oil pollution. Experimental studies have shown that under the exposure of a various levels of oil pollution meeting certain gradations of the state and optimal alteration in microbocenosis in sod-podzolic soils, there is occurred a transformation of structure of the complex of micromycetes and the accumulation of toxic species, hardly typical for podzolic soils - primarily represantatives of the genus Aspergillus (A.niger and A. versicolor), Paecilomyces (P.variotii Bainer), Trichoderma (T.hamatum), the genus of phytopathogens Fusarium (F.oxysporum), dermatophytes of genus Sporothrix (S. schenckii) and dark-colored melanin containing fungi of Dematiaceae family. Besides that there are presented data on the study of microbiocenosis of the urban soil, the urban soil differed from the zone soil, but shaped in similar landscape and climatic conditions, and therefore having a tendency to a similar response from the side of microorganisms inhabiting the soil. Isolated complex of soil microscopic fungi is described by many authors as a complex, characteristic for soils of megalopolises. This allowed authors of this work to suggest that in urban soils the gain in the occurrence of pathogenic species micromycetes also increases against a background of chronic, continuously renewed inflow of petroleum hydrocarbons from various sources of pollution. Because changes in the species composition of micromycetes occurred in accordance with the increasing load of oil, so far as microscopic soil fungi can be recommended as a bioindicator organisms for oil. In the article there is also provided information about the distinctive features of modern DNA identification method of soil microscopic fungi and accepted in our country methodology of isolation of micromycetes with the use of a nutrient Czapek medium.

ESPOROTRICOSE, O GATO E A COMUNIDADE

Dermatozoonoses have a worldwide occurrence, being more prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries. Epidemiological data indicate that sporotrichosis is the most common subcutaneous mycosis in Latin America. Its importance for public health as an emerging disease is mainly associated with cases involving zoonotic transmission by domestic felines in Brazil. The disease is caused by species of the genus Sporothrix, being the one of greater occurrence in Brazil, Sporothrix brasiliensis. The most common clinical picture in mammals is acute or chronic, with the presence of cutaneous lesions and, in humans, it has a social impact during its active phase with an unpleasant appearance causing discomfort to the affected person. The disease has a cure, however the treatment of this mycosis, in general, is related to the prolonged use of systemic antifungals. The treatment of cats with sporotrichosis is a challenge due to several factors, among them occurrence of therapeutic failures, besides the high cost. Sporotrichosis presents with importance in the environmental health theme, with emphasis in the context of the sociocultural aspects of the disease, which can be observed mainly in hot and humid places, with high population density, poor sanitary conditions or lack of responsible custody of dogs and cats.

Prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against sporotrichosis. Feasibility and prospects

Sporotrichosis is an emergent subcutaneous mycosis of humans and some animals caused by dimorphic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. The disease occurs worldwide but is endemic or hyperendemic in tropical and subtropical areas. The epidemiology of the disease is changing dramatically, and it is now considered an important zoonosis with high morbidity rates, principally in Brazil, and an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. Due to the limited options currently available to treat invasive fungal infections, including sporotrichosis, and the emergence of drug resistance and toxicity, the development of anti-Sporothrix vaccines has become an area of great interest. This work provides a brief analysis of the feasibility of the development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against sporotrichosis, the main advances achieved to date, future challenges and prospects.

Ploidy Determination in the Pathogenic Fungus Sporothrix spp.

The pathogenic clade of the Sporothrix genus comprises the etiological agents of sporotrichosis, a worldwide emergent disease. Despite the growing understanding of their successful pathogen traits, there is little information on genome sizes and ploidy within the genus. Therefore, in this work, we evaluated the ploidy of four species of the Sporothrix genus, specifically Sporothrix brasiliensis, Sporothrix schenckii, Sporothrix globosa, and Sporothrix pallida. Through cell cycle analysis of the yeast-phase cells, we showed that the DNA content of G0/G1 cells was similar to the genome size determined by whole genome sequencing. Moreover, ploidy of S. schenckii, S. brasiliensis, and S. pallida that was determined by allele composition using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data is consistent with monomorphic positions at each allele. These data show that the analyzed strains of Sporothrix are haploid, or at least aneuploid, thereby laying the foundation for the development of a molecular toolbox for Sporothrix spp.

Sporotrichosis In Immunocompromised Hosts.

Sporotrichosis is a global implantation or subcutaneous mycosis caused by several members of the genus Sporothrix, a thermo-dimorphic fungus. This disease may also depict an endemic profile, especially in tropical to subtropical zones around the world. Interestingly, sporotrichosis is an anthropozoonotic disease that may be transmitted to humans by plants or by animals, especially cats. It may be associated with rather isolated or clustered cases but also with outbreaks in different periods and geographic regions. Usually, sporotrichosis affects immunocompetent hosts, presenting a chronic to subacute evolution course. Less frequently, sporotrichosis may be acquired by inhalation, leading to disseminated clinical forms. Both modes of infection may occur in immunocompromised patients, especially associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but also diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, steroids, anti-TNF treatment, hematologic cancer and transplanted patients. Similar to other endemic mycoses caused by dimorphic fungi, sporotrichosis in immunocompromised hosts may be associated with rather more severe clinical courses, larger fungal burden and longer periods of systemic antifungal therapy. A prolonged outbreak of cat-transmitted sporotrichosis is in progress in Brazil and potentially crossing the border to neighboring countries. This huge outbreak involves thousands of human and cats, including immunocompromised subjects affected by HIV and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), respectively. We reviewed the main epidemiologic, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of sporotrichosis in immunocompromised hosts.

A case of sporotrichosis caused by different Sporothrix brasiliensis strains: mycological, molecular, and virulence analyses.

BACKGROUNDSporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by dimorphic pathogenic fungi belonging to the Sporothrix genus. Pathogenic Sporothrix species typically produce melanin, which is known to be a virulence factor.OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to perform phenotypic, genotypic, and virulence analyses of two distinct Sporothrix brasiliensis strains isolated from the same lesion on a patient from Rio de Janeiro.METHODS AND FINDINGS Genotypic analyses by partial sequencing of the calmodulin, β-tubulin, and chitin synthase genes, as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-fingerprinting by T3B, M13, and GACA, showed that the isolates were very similar but not identical. Both isolates had similar phenotypic characteristics and effectively produced melanin in their yeast forms, accounting for their ability of causing disease in a murine sporotrichosis model. Remarkably, isolate B was albino in its environmental form but caused more severe disease than the pigmented A isolate.CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the patient was infected by two genetically and biologically distinct S. brasiliensis that vary in their production of melanin in their environmental forms. The results underscore the importance of characterizing phenotypically different isolates found in the same clinical specimen or patient.

Sodium Iodide: an Alternative Treatment Option for Feline Sporotrichosis?

Background: Sporotrichosis is caused by pathogenic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. The clinically relevant species are S. schenckii, S. globosa and S. brasiliensis. In Brazil, S. brasiliensis is the most prevalent etiological agent among humans and cats. In cats with sporotrichosis, skin lesions are mainly characterized by nodules and ulcers, usually located in the head, nasal region and limbs. The presence of respiratory signs concomitantly with cutaneous lesions is frequent, especially sneezing, and may be associated with lesions located in the nasal mucosa. Ketoconazole (KTZ), itraconazole (ITZ), potassium iodide (KI), sodium iodide (NaI), terbinafine (TRB), fluconazole (FLZ) and amphotericin B (AMB) are the drugs currently available for treating feline sporotrichosis. ITZ remains the drug of choice. ITZ combined with KI has been successfully used in the treatment of naïve cats (especially cases with lesions in the nasal region), cases of recurrence and refractory to ITZ. Clinical cure with NaI has been described in some cases, but its use has been limited by adverse reactions. The conventional formulation is the saturated solution and the recommended dose in the treatment of feline sporotrichosis is 10 mg/kg every 12 h. Cats are sensitive to iodide preparations and should be carefully monitored for clinical evidence of iodism, such as apathy, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, hypothermia, hyperthermia, cardiomyopathy, hyperexcitability, muscular spasms and ptyalism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic response of NaI capsules in feline sporotrichosis.Materials, Methods & Results: An observational cohort study was conducted in cats with sporotrichosis at the Laboratory of Clinical Research in Dermatozoonoses in Domestic Animals (Lapclin-Dermzoo), Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INI)/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Twenty-eight cats with sporotrichosis confirmed by isolation of Sporothrix spp. in culture, no previous systemic antifungal therapy, and weight above 3.0 kg, were included in the study. The treatment consisted of NaI oral capsules (5 mg/kg/once daily). In cats without clinical improvement after one month of treatment, the dose was increased (10 mg/kg/once daily). The cats were followed up monthly by clinical examination, complete blood count and biochemical analysis (urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase - ALT, aspartate aminotransferase - AST, alkaline phosphatase - FA). All procedures were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee (CEUA/Fiocruz), number LW 56/13, and the informed consent term was obtained from all tutors. Clinical cure was achieved in six (21.4%) cases and treatment failure was observed in 13 (46.4%) animals. Seven (25%) cats were lost during follow up, and unknown causes of death occurred in two cases (7.1%). Ten animals (35.7%) presented clinical adverse reactions at some point during treatment. Hyporexia and weight loss were the most frequent ones. Three cats presented alteration in renal function.Discussion: Treatment of feline sporotrichosis in epizootic areas has been a challenge for veterinarians and tutors. Additionally, there are few studies evaluating treatment regimens for this mycosis in animals. In this study, NaI was compounded in capsules, because it is easier to administer when compared to the solution, as previously described for KI. Despite the low cost and the convenient administration of the capsule, NaI presented a low cure rate with the dose used. The study of new pharmaceutical forms and lower doses of low-cost drugs is necessary in a scenario of epizootic sporotrichosis, where investments for the development of new antifungal agents are scarce.