Feline sporotrichosis due to Sporothrix globosa in the Metropolitan region of Buenos Aires: A case study

Abstract We describe here the first case of feline sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix globosa, occurring outside the epizootic area of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Unlike cases reported with Sporothrix brasiliensis, on this occasion there was no clinical or serological evidence of zoonotic transmission through scratches or bites from the sick cat to the attending veterinarian or the person responsible for its care. This report aimed to improve the knowledge about the pathogenic profile of S. globosa.

Resumen En este trabajo se describe el primer caso de esporotricosis felina causada por Sporothrix globosa fuera del área epizoótica de Buenos Aires. A diferencia de los casos documentados de Sporothrix brasiliensis, en este no hubo evidencia clínica ni serológica de transmisión zoonótica por arañazos o mordeduras del gato enfermo a su dueño ni al veterinario que lo atendió. Con este reporte se espera contribuir a un mejor conocimiento sobre el perfil patogénico de S. globosa.

Valor de las técnicas moleculares y de los factores de riesgo en el diagnóstico y evolución de la esporotricosis. A propósito de 2 casos por Sporothrix brasiliensis y S. globosa / Value of molecular techniques and risk factors in the diagnosis and evolution of sporotrichosis. About 2 cases of Sporothrix brasiliensis and S. globosa

La Esporotricosis es una micosis profunda causada por el hongo dimorfo Sporothrix schenckii, El advenimiento de técnicas moleculares como la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa ha hecho posible identificar varias especies dentro del complejo Sporothrix spp como S. brasiliensis, S. schenckii sensu stricto, S. globosa, S mexicana y S. albicans. Las diferencias son moleculares, pero también geográficas, macroscópicas, en asimilación de azúcares y crecimiento de colonias a 37º; determinando formas clínicas, evolución y respuestas terapéuticas diferentes. Comunicamos 2 casos de Esporotricosis diagnosticados en el Hospital Nacional de Paraguay, cuyos estudios de PCR del gen de la calmodulina hechos en el extranjero, determinaron ser producidos por S. brasiliensis y S. globosa respectivamente. El objetivo de la comunicación es resaltar la importancia de las técnicas moleculares para el diagnóstico preciso de la especie de Sporothrix spp, considerando los factores de riesgo asociados a la caracterización epidemiológica y a las diferencias clínico-evolutivas de los casos de esporotricosis.

Sporotrichosis is a deep mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii. The advent of molecular techniques as the polymerase chain reaction has made it possible to identify several species within the Sporothrix spp complex such as S. brasiliensis, S. schenckii sensu stricto, S. globosa, S mexicana and S. albicans. The differences are molecular but also geographic, macroscopic, in sugar assimilation and colony growth at 37º, determining different clinical forms, evolution and therapeutic responses. We report 2 cases of sporotrichosis diagnosed in the National Hospital of Paraguay, whose studies of PCR of the calmodulin gene carried out abroad, determined to be produced by S. brasiliensis and S. globosa respectively. The objective of the communication is to highlight the importance of molecular techniques for the precise diagnosis of the species of Sporothrix spp, considering the risk factors associated with the epidemiological characterization and the clinical-evolutionary differences of the cases of sporotrichosis.

Esporotricosis cutánea diseminada / Cutaneous disseminated sporotrichosis

La esporotricosis es una micosis profunda producida por especies del género Sporothrix, que presenta varias formas clínicas siendo la linfangítica la más frecuente. Las formas diseminadas son raras, están generalmente relacionadas a inmunosupresión y pueden ser solo cutáneas o sistémicas. Presentamos el caso de una mujer anciana que consulta por lesiones diseminadas en la piel e incluso afectación conjuntival producidas por Sporothrix globosa, con varios factores de inmunosupresión.

Sporotrichosis is a deep mycosis produced by species of the genus Sporothrix, that present several clinical forms, with lymphangitis being the most frequent. Disseminated forms are rare, are also related to immunosuppression and may be only cutaneous or systemic. We present the case of an elderly woman who consults for disseminated skin lesions and even conjunctival involvement caused by Sporothrix globosa, with several immunosuppression factors.

Obtaining vacuolar protein sorting 34 gene in Sporothrix globosa by RACE method and analysis of its expression during the mycelium-to-yeast transition / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To obtain the full-length sequence of the vacuolar protein sorting 34 coding gene (vps34) of Sporothrix globosa (S. globosa) and to investigate the role of vps34 gene during the phase transition from mycelium to yeast in S. globosa. -ethods The 3′ end and 5′ end of the vps34 gene of S. globosa were amplified by rapid amplification of cDNA ends ( RACE ) . The obtained sequences were spliced and analyzed by bioinformatics software. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR ( qRT-PCR ) was used to analyze the expression of vps34 gene in mycelial and yeast phases. Results The vps34 gene of S. globosa was 3228 bp in length. The coding sequence was 3000 bp and encoded 999 amino acids with a mo-lecular mass of 111. 49×103 and an isoelectric point of 6. 38. It contained three domains including C2 PI3K class Ⅲ, PI3Ka Ⅲ and PI3Kc Ⅲ. The results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression of vps34 gene in yeast-phase S. globosa was higher than that in mycelial phase at 24 h (P<0. 05), and the greatest difference between them was observed at 48 h (P<0. 01). Conclusions Vps34p participates in the process of dimor-phic transformation of S. globosa. The obtainment of the full-length vps34 gene of S. globosa lays the founda-tions for further study on the function of Vps34p.

Virulencia de Sporothrix globosa en modelos murinos / Virulence of Sporothrix globosa in murine models

Introducción: La esporotricosis es una infección causada por especies pertenecientes al complejo Sporothrix schenckii. Dependiendo de la especie, estos organismos pueden tener virulencia y formas clínicas diferentes. Objetivo: Verificar la virulencia de una cepa de Sporothrix globosa en un modelo murino usando 2 concentraciones de inóculo, en aplicación intraperitoneal o subcutánea. Materiales y métodos: Estudio experimental no aleatorizado en murinos inoculados con una cepa de S. globosa (CBS 14.076 M), por vía intraperitoneal y subcutánea, a 0,5 y 4 de concentración McFarland. Se utilizaron 18 roedores CF-1 (ISP, Santiago, Chile). Resultados: La cepa estudiada no provocó enfermedad ni lesiones, todos los animales sobrevivieron, no hubo desarrollo de hongos en el cultivo de tejidos y el análisis histopatológico de órganos no mostró alteraciones sugerentes de infección. Conclusiones: La cepa de S. globosa estudiada no presentó virulencia en modelos murinos y no provocó enfermedad al ser inoculada a concentración McFarland 0,5 y 4, tanto por vía intraperitoneal como subcutánea.

Introduction: The sporothricosis disease is an infection caused by species included in Sporothrix schenkii complex. Objective: Verify the virulence of a strain of S. globosa using two different concentrations of inoculum by intraperitoneally and subcutaneously, into a mouse model. Materials and methods: Nonrandomized pilot study, in murine inoculated with a strain of S. globosa (CBS 14.076 M) by intraperitoneally and subcutaneously with inoculum concentrations of 0.5 and 4 McFarland. For this purpose 18 rodents CF-1 (ISP, Santiago, Chile) were used. Results: The studied strain did not induce illness or injury on animals, they all survived and neither the tissue culture nor the histopathological analysis showed fungal growth or suggestive infection by organ abnormalities. Conclusions: The S. globosa strain did not present any virulence enough to cause disease at 0.5 and 4.0 McFarland concentration inoculum when inoculated in both intraperitoneally and subcutaneously, in murine models.

A Case of Fixed Cutaneous Sporotrichosis Caused by Sporothrix globosa on the Face / 대한의진균학회지

Sporotrichosis is a chronic cutaneous fungal infection caused by Sporothrix (S.) schenckii complex. Fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis is one of the three subtype of sprotrichosis and accounts for 20% of total sporotrichosis cases. However, the incidence of total sporotrichosis cases is decreasing recently due to improvement of personal hygiene and industrialization. A 60-year-old woman presented to the hospital with multiple erythematous papules and ulcers on left cheek for 5 months. Histopathologic examination revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation and immunohistochemical staining was positive for GMS and PAS stain. The fungal culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar showed grayish dark brown colonies and the sequences of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region of clinical sample was 100% similarity with S. globosa. The patient was treated with oral itraconazole 200 mg daily and topical ketoconazole cream for 3 months. At that time after this treatment, skin lesion was almost cured and recurrence is not observed to date.

Aislamiento ambiental de Sporothrix globosa en relación a un caso de esporotricosis linfo-cutánea / Sporothrix globosa isolation related to a case of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis

Introduction: Sporothrix schenckii complex comprises a group of environmental dimorphic fungi that cause sporotrichosis. In Chile, isolated cases have been reported in humans, though no environmental isolates have been described. Objective: To achieve isolation of Sporothrix complex from the soil where a 75 year old patient with lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis performs horticulture work. Materials and Methods: In March and July 2011 soil and plant debris from five sectors where the patient does his work in horticulture was extracted. The soil samples were diluted and inoculated in Sabouraud agar with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol at 26 °C. The plant debris was directly inoculated in the same medium. Colonies suggestive of Sporothrix complex were reseeded in PDA agar at 26 ° C and identified as recommended by Marimon et al. Results: Of the 10 plates from the first sampling, one colony was identified as Sporothrix globosa. In the second sampling, Sporothrix globosa grew in two plates seeded with soil, with a total of 6 colonies. There was no growth of Sporothrix complex in plant debris. The isolate from the patient was also identified as Sporothrix globosa. Conclusion: For the first time in Chile a species of Sporothrix complex was isolated from the environment. Sporothrix globosa was the species identified both in the ground and from the patient with sporotrichosis.

Introducción: Sporothrix schenckii complex comprende un grupo de hongos dimórficos ambientales que provocan esporotricosis. En Chile se han comunicado casos aislados en humanos; sin embargo, no se han descrito aislamientos de este hongo desde el ambiente. Objetivos: Orientados por un caso de esporotricosis linfo-cutánea en una paciente de 75 años, se realizó un estudio ambiental para lograr el aislamiento de S. complex desde el suelo donde la paciente realizaba labores de horticultura. Materiales y Métodos: Se extrajo tierra y restos vegetales de cinco sectores donde la paciente efectuaba sus labores de horticultura. Se realizaron diluciones de tierras y siembra en agar Sabouraud con cicloheximida y cloranfenicol a 26°C. Los restos vegetales fueron sembrados directamente en el mismo medio. Las colonias sugerentes de S. complex se resembraron en agar PDA a 26°C y se identificaron según recomendación de Marimon y cols. Resultados: De las diez placas del primer muestreo, una colonia de la siembra de tierra se identificó como Sporothrix globosa. En el segundo muestreo hubo desarrollo de S. globosa en dos placas sembradas con tierra, con un total de seis colonias. No hubo desarrollo de S. complex en los restos vegetales. La cepa aislada desde la paciente también fue identificada como S. globosa. Conclusión: Por primera vez en Chile se logra el aislamiento del ambiente de una especie de S. complex. Sporothrix globosa fue la especie identificada tanto del suelo como desde la paciente con esporotricosis.