An atypical cause of sporotrichosis in a cat

Abstract

A nine-year-old domestic cat from Melbourne, Australia, presented with a non-ulcerated nodule on its nasal bridge. A fungal infection of the subcutis was diagnosed based on histopathology and culture of a white mould, which was identified as Sporothrix pallida complex by ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 and β-tubulin gene sequencing. The cat was treated by cytoreduction, itraconazole and subsequently posaconazole, which eventually resulted in regression of residual infected tissues and clinical resolution. Keywords: Sporotrichosis, Sporothrix pallida, Itraconazole, Posaconazole