Epidemic Cat-Transmitted Sporotrichosis

Abstract

The Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute is a referral centre for infectious diseases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Between 1986 and 1997, thirteen cases of sporotrichosis in humans were recorded at the institute. Beginning in 1998, the number of cases increased steadily, reaching a total of 759 cases in humans between 1998 and 2004, 83% of whom reported contact with cats that had sporotrichosis as a risk factor. Of these, 56% reported cat bites or scratches. During the same period, 64 dogs and 1503 cats with sporotrichosis were treated at the institute. As with the humans affected in this epidemic, 85% of the dogs had a history of contact with cats that had confirmed sporotrichosis. Feline sporotrichosis has a broad spectrum, ranging from sub-clinical infection to severe systemic disease with hematogenous dissemination of Sporothrix schenckii.