FATAL FUNGEMIA DUE TO SPOROTHRIX-SCHENCKII

A clinical case is reported of a 78-year-old male with antecedents of diabetes and alcoholism who was hospitalized because he showed cutaneo us lesions on the face and extremities suggesting cutaneous tuberculos is, but after a first histological study cutaneous leishmaniasis was e rroneously diagnosed. Because of some unusual characteristics of the p atient, the skin biopsies were carefully re-examined, as well as blood smears, which revealed elongated yeast form-like cells suggestive of Sporothrix schenckii. The diagnosis was confirmed when the fungus grew in mice and in Sabouraud cultures inoculated with blood samples from the patient. It is recommended that Sp. schenckii is included in the d ifferential diagnosis of ulcerative cutaneous lesions in patients from Mexican humid areas.