Nosocomial transmission of Sporothrix brasiliensis in two cats

Abstract

Sporotrichosis is a neglected zoonotic infection caused by pathogenic Sporothrix species, primarily affecting the skin and lymphatic system but occasionally leading to life-threatening systemic disease in some cases. Brazil bears the highest global burden of cat and human sporotrichosis. Transmission mainly occurs through traumatic inoculation of the fungus via cat bites, scratches, thorns, or wooden splinters. To date, nosocomial transmission of Sporothrix spp. has not been reported. This report describes two cases of healthcare-associated sporotrichosis in cats in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil). Both animals (cases 1 and 2) underwent trichotomy at two different veterinary clinics, with both undergoing abdominal ultrasound examination and one (case 2) receiving further venous access. Small skin lesions caused by the trichotomy presented with purulent content approximately six days after the procedure. Samples from the cutaneous lesions were collected and subjected to cytological examination and mycological culture. S. brasiliensis was confirmed through species-specific PCR and calmodulin (CAL) gene sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that both isolates clustered with clinical S. brasiliensis isolates extracted from infected cats, dogs, and humans in Brazil. These findings highlight the potential for S. brasiliensis transmission through contaminated fur clippers in veterinary hospitals, underscoring the risk of nosocomial infection in animals.

Keywords: Sporotrichosis; cutaneous infection; feline; healthcare; trichotomy.