A case of disseminated sporotrichosis

S Afr J Infect Dis. 2024 Jul 12;39(1):648. doi: 10.4102/sajid.v39i1.648. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Sporothrix schenckii is a thermally dimorphic fungus found in soil and in plant matter. Cutaneous sporotrichosis is the most common manifestation and disseminated sporotrichosis is the rarest. Delayed diagnoses are not uncommon. We report a case of disseminated sporotrichosis involving the skin, bones and joints, with subsequent joint destruction, tissue loss and permanent disability.

Contribution: This case report highlights the debilitating potential of sporotrichosis and its often elusive nature regarding diagnosis.

Keywords: Sporothrix schenckii; cutaneous sporotrichosis; disseminated sporotrichosis; human immunodeficiency virus; osteo-articular sporotrichosis.