Acute dacryocystitis: another clinical manifestation of sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis associated with exposure to domestic cats is hyperendemic in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil. A review of the clinical records at our institute revealed fourpatients with clinical signs of dacryocystitis and a positive conjunctival culturefor Sporothrix who were diagnosed with Sporothrixdacryocystitis. Three patients were children (< 13 years of age) and one patientwas an adult. Two patients reported contact with a cat that had sporotrichosis.Dacryocystitis was associated with nodular, ulcerated lesions on the face of onepatient and with granulomatous conjunctivitis in two patients; however, thiscondition manifested as an isolated disease in another patient. All of the patientswere cured of the fungal infections, but three patients had chronic dacryocystitisand one patient developed a cutaneous fistula. Sporotrichosis is usually a benigndisease, but may cause severe complications when the eye and the adnexa are affected.Physicians, especially ophthalmologists in endemic areas, should be aware of theophthalmological manifestations and complications of sporotrichosis.