Sporotrichosis (cont.)
How soon do symptoms appear?
The first nodule may appear any time from 1 to 12 weeks after exposure to the fungus. Usually the nodules are visible within 3 weeks after the fungus enters the skin.
How is sporotrichosis diagnosed?
Sporotrichosis can be confirmed when a doctor obtains a swab or a biopsy of a freshly opened skin nodule and submits it to a laboratory for fungal culture.
If I have symptoms of sporotrichosis, should I see a doctor?
Yes. It is important for the diagnosis to be confirmed by a doctor so that proper treatment can be provided.
How is sporotrichosis treated?
Sporotrichosis is generally treated with potassium iodide, taken by mouth in droplet form. A new drug, called itraconazole (Sporanox), is available for treatment, but experience with this drug is still limited. Treatment is often extended over a number of weeks, until the skin lesions are completely healed.
How can sporotrichosis be prevented?
Control measures include wearing gloves and long sleeves when handling wires, rose bushes, hay bales, conifer (pine) seedlings, or other materials that may cause minor skin breaks. It is also advisable to avoid skin contact with sphagnum moss. Moss has been implicated as a source of the fungus in a number of outbreaks.
SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Last Editorial Review: 12/27/2007
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