SPOROTRICHAL ARTHRITIS IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS

Sporotrichal arthritis is a rare disease, with only 51 cases reported in the English literature, Thirteen patients with sporotrichal arthrit is have been treated at Wichita area hospitals since 1979, Most of the patients were middle aged men, Significant alcohol intake was noted i n 77% of the patients, There were 17 joints involved in the cases, inc luding 10 knees, three interphalangeal joints, one elbow one midtarsal , one intercarpal, and one metatarsophalangeal joint, The typical appe arance was an afebrile patient with a mildly swollen warm joint withou t erythema, The leukocyte counts were normal in 85% of patients, and t he erythrocyte sedimentation rates were elevated in 100%, The patients had various treatments and responses, Response rates included intrave nous amphotericin B (16%), ketoconazole (40%), and arthrodesis (100%), Sporotrichal arthritis may be more common than previously thought, It should be considered early in the differential diagnosis of monoarthr itis.