Infection and Drug Resistance (Jul 2024)
Clinical Analysis of Patients Diagnosed with Cutaneous Sporotrichosis in China
Abstract
Yunyan Zheng,1,* Weiwei Shi,1,2,* Huiying Wang,1 Ruzhi Zhang3 1Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, Nantong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ruzhi Zhang, Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, 10 Kangfu Road, Wuhu, 241000, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to improve the understanding of sporotrichosis by analyzing the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, mycological features, and pathological characteristics of the disease in eastern China.Methods: Clinical data of 49 patients diagnosed with cutaneous sporotrichosis in dermatology clinics over a 20-year period were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The analysis included patient demographics, occupations, clinical types, lesion sites, misdiagnosis rates, laboratory investigations, treatment and outcomes.Results: The study included 22 male and 27 female patients, with a mean age of 52.4 years. Farmers (42.86%) and manual workers (28.57%) had a higher risk of infection. The most common clinical types were lymphocutaneous (30.61%) and fixed (69.39%), predominantly affecting the face and upper limbs. Misdiagnosis as other infectious skin diseases occurred in 35 patients (71.43%). Fungal culture and histopathological examination were important diagnostic tools. Treatment with oral itraconazole for three months led to relief and regression of the skin lesions in most patients, although a few experienced recurrences.Conclusion: Cutaneous sporotrichosis mainly affects individuals working in agriculture and manual labour, with lymphocutaneous and fixed types being the predominant clinical manifestations. The high misdiagnosis rate emphasizes the importance of early recognition, accurate diagnosis and standardized treatment for the prognosis and cure of sporotrichosis. Fungal culture and histopathological examination are essential for diagnosis, and oral itraconazole is an effective treatment option.Keywords: sporotrichosis, cutaneous form, clinical analysis, epidemiology, misdiagnosis
