Clinical Presentation and Histopathological Characteristics of Sporotrichosis

Objective

Sporotrichosis is the most prevalent deep mycosis worldwide. The differential diagnosis of its clinical symptoms and histopathological features presents considerable complexity. A thorough understanding of the clinical manifestations and pathological characteristics of sporotrichosis is crucial for its accurate clinical diagnosis.

Methods

This study involved a retrospective analysis of cases diagnosed with sporotrichosis at our hospital between April 2017 and April 2019, summarizing their clinical and histopathological characteristics.

Results

Among the 323 patients included in this study, a higher prevalence was observed in females. The disease predominantly affected middle-aged and elderly patients, aged between 41 and 67 years, with a higher incidence noted in winter and spring. Among the 323 patients, 170 patients (52.7%) presented with the fixed pattern, 128 (40%) with the lymphatic type, 24 (7%) with the special type, and one patient with the cutaneous-disseminated type. There were no cases of the systemic type. Histopathological findings included diffuse infectious granulomas and inflammatory infiltration, primarily characterized by diffuse and non-specific mixed inflammatory cell infiltration (without granulomas). The granulomas were primarily tuberculoid and purulent, with a lesser occurrence of granulomas exhibiting a three-zone structure, which is typically uncommon. An increase in lymphocytes, plasmacytes, and neutrophils was noted as one of the pathological features of the disease.

Conclusion

In this region, sporotrichosis was more prevalent among female patients compared to male patients, with the fixed pattern being more common than the lymphatic type. Histopathological manifestations included diffuse infectious granulomas, with inflammatory infiltration primarily characterized by diffuse infiltration and non-specific mixed inflammatory cell infiltration (without granulomas).