The threat of emerging and re-emerging pathogenic Sporothrix species

• Published in: Mycopathologia (1975) Vol. 185; no. 5; pp. 813 - 842
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Anderson Messias, Della Terra, Paula Portella, Gremião, Isabella Dib, Pereira, Sandro Antonio, Orofino-Costa, Rosane, de Camargo, Zoilo Pires
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-10-2020; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Cat Diseases - microbiology; Cats; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - epidemiology; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - prevention & control; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - veterinary; Dermatomycoses - epidemiology; Dermatomycoses - prevention & control; Dermatomycoses - veterinary; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Diseases; Epidemics; Eukaryotic Microbiology; Health aspects; Host range; Humans; Infection Control; Inoculation; Life Sciences; Mammals; Medical Microbiology; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology; Mycosis; Neglected Diseases - epidemiology; Neglected Diseases - prevention & control; Neglected Diseases - veterinary; Pathogens; Plant Sciences; Propagules; Public health; Review; Sporothrix; Sporothrix - classification; Sporothrix - isolation & purification; Sporothrix - pathogenicity; Sporotrichosis; Sporotrichosis - epidemiology; Sporotrichosis - prevention & control; Sporotrichosis - veterinary; Virulence; Zoonoses; Zoonoses - epidemiology; Zoonoses - prevention & control; Brazil; Pathogenicity; Neglected tropical diseases; Virulence; Control and prevention; Sporotrichosis; Emerging zoonoses; Preparedness and biodefense; Sporothrix; Sporothrix brasiliensis
• ISSN: 0301-486X; 1573-0832
• DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00425-0

Sporotrichosis is a neglected subcutaneous mycosis of humans and animals acquired by traumatic inoculation of soil and plant material (classical route) contaminated with infectious propagules of the pathogen or being bitten/scratched by infected cats (alternative route). Within a genus composed of 53 species displaying an essentially environmental core, there are only a few members which have considerable impacts on human or animal health. Infections are typically caused by
S. brasiliensis
,
S. schenckii
or
S. globosa
. Rare mammal pathogens include members of the
S. pallida
and
S. stenocereus
complexes. To illustrate the tremendous impact of emerging zoonotic sporotrichosis on public health, we discuss the main features of the expanding epidemics driven by
S. brasiliensis
in cats and humans. The cat entry in the transmission chain of sporotrichosis, causing epizooties (cat–cat) or zoonosis (cat–human), has contributed to the definition of new paradigms in
Sporothrix
transmission, reaching epidemic levels, making the disease a serious public health problem. Indeed,
S. brasiliensis
infection in humans and animals is likely to become even more important in the future, with projections of its expansion in biogeographic domains and host range, as well as greater virulence in mammals. Therefore, lessons from a long-standing outbreak in the state of Rio de Janeiro about the source and distribution of the etiological agents among outbreak areas can be used to create better control and prevention plans and increase awareness of sporotrichosis as a serious emerging zoonotic disease.