Ocular Manifestations of Sporotrichosis in a Hyperendemic Region in Brazil: Description of a Series of 120 Cases

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe 120 cases of ocular sporotrichosis.

Methods

Review of medical records of patients with culture-proven (from eye specimen) ocular sporotrichosis, in Rio de Janeiro, from 2007 to 2017.

Results

Women were more affected (61.7%) and median age was 24 years. The isolated ocular form was more frequent (75.8%). Fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis was the most commonly associated form (48.3%). Hypersensitivity reactions were observed in 10% of patients. Ocular involvement was unilateral in 98.3% of the cases, and the most frequent clinical presentation was granulomatous conjunctivitis (86.7%), followed by eyelid lesion (25%). Dacryocystitis represented 7.5% of the cases, predominantly in children (55.6%). Itraconazole was the first choice treatment (95.8%). Sequelae were observed in 23 patients (22.5%), and surgical treatment was required for most of them.

Conclusion

Ocular sporotrichosis can be considered a characteristic form of the zoonotic transmission, with high morbidity. Delay in initiating specific treatment is likely to increase the risk of progression to more severe forms of the disease, and development of ocular sequelae.

KEYWORDS:

• Ocular sporotrichosis
• Sporothrix
• granulomatous conjunctivitis
• Parinaud
• dacryocystitis
• bulbar conjunctivitis
• zoonotic transmission

Acknowledgments

Bruna Coutinho Alves de Freitas.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors received financial support from Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INI), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.