ABSTRACT
Sporotrichosis is an implantation mycosis caused by direct inoculation of the causative agents into the skin (by implantation); it is a subacute or chronic disease caused due to Sporothrix spp. complex. The most important etiologic agent is Sporothrix schenckii. It is the most widespread implantation mycoses in the world; many cases have been reported in virtually every continent, especially in the tropical and subtropical areas. Schenk described the fi rst report of sporotrichosis in 1898 in the United States of America (USA); it corresponded to a classic lymphangitic sporotrichosis. This case was classifi ed later as Sporotrichum. Hektoen and Perkins (Hektoen and Perkins 1900), who included the fungus in the genus Sporothrix and described the species schenckii, also described the next cases in USA. In France, de Beurmann (de Beurmann and Ramnond 1903) isolated a pigmented strain from a case of sporotrichosis, which was macroscopically different from that obtained from the American cases; he considered it as Sporotrichum beurmanni. Carmichael (Carmichael 1962), in 1962, made the unifi cation of the different names as Sporothrix schenckii. It is important to mention that, in France, de Beurmann and Gougerot (de Berurmann and Gougerot 1912) reported more than 200 cases in 1912; nowadays, this mycosis is extremely rare in this French region due to an ecologic change or modifi cation in the work conditions, it also draws attention to the epidemic in Transvaal, Africa, reported by Simson
1 Department of Mycology, Dermatology Service.Hospital General de México. Mexico City. 2 Dermatology Service.Hospital General de México. Mexico City. 3 Dermatology Service, Hospital Infantil de México. Mexico City. * Corresponding author: a_bonifaz@yahoo.com.mx
(Simson 1947); it occurred in gold mines and more than 3,000 cases were reported (pulmonary and cutaneous). It was later demonstrated that the fungus had infested the wood inside the mines.
