Sporotrichosis: A Clinicopathologic Study of 89 Consecutive Cases, Literature Review, and New Insights About Their Differential Diagnosis

• Published in: The American journal of dermatopathology Vol. 42; no. 10; pp. 751 - 755
• Main Authors: Pereira, Miguel A., Freitas, Roger J., Nascimento, Suelen B., Pantaleão, Luciana, Vilar, Enoï G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Journal of Dermatopathology 01-10-2020
• ISSN: 0193-1091; 1533-0311
• DOI: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000001617

Sporotrichosis is the most common and least severe of deep mycoses. This disease has varied clinic presentation as well as several differential diagnosis.
A cross-sectional and retrospective, individually based, observational study, based on records from the dermatopathology service of a university hospital in Brazil. A total of 175 patients were identified with clinical suspicion of sporotrichosis, from 2009 to 2017. Statistical analysis using prevalence ratios was conducted to characterize the clinicopathologic and epidemiological aspects.
The disease was suspected in 175 patients given the clinical presentation. Of these, 86 cases (49.14%) were sporotrichosis, 39 (22.29%) chronic granulomatous inflammatory processes of unidentified etiology, and 5 squamous cell carcinomas (2.86%). The majority of cases (52 or 60.46%) occurred in the upper limbs. A total of 40 samples presented a suppurative chronic granulomatous inflammatory process (46.51%). Only 5 samples (12.50%) showed positive staining (periodic-Schiff acid or GROCOTT).
The sporotrichosis cases underwent both cumulative and linear growth, especially in the group above 60 years. Squamous cell carcinomas appeared several times as a misdiagnosis of sporotrichosis by dermatologists, so it should be considered as an important differential diagnose due to the current context of skin cancers.