Clinical studies on sporotrichosis in Taiwan

A total of 59 cases, who visited the Dermatological Clinic of National Taiwan University Hospital in the past 27 years, was proved to be Sporotrichosis. The diagnostic criteria were the suggestive clinical pictures with any one of the following points: (1) positive fungal culture with characteristic colonies of Sporotrichum schenckii, (2) good therapeutic response to potassium iodide, (3) demonstration of fungal elements in the suggested pathological tissues or (4) demonstration of fungal elements in pus or tissue using direct immunofluorescence. All the informations concerning the clinical pictures and epidemiological points of view of these 59 patients were analysed. The chief cutaneous lesions were composed of nodules, ulcers or infiltrated plaques in linear arrangement on the exposed areas especially arms, legs or face. Thirty eight cases were male and 21 female. It affected peoples of the age between 4 to 70 years old, and their occupations were mainly outside workers such as agriculturist, worker, etc. Most of the affected people lived in the suburban areas of Taipei city such as Taoyuan and Taipei county. Serological tests such as precipitation, complement fixation and hemagglutination tests were performed in 12 cases, yet no reliable results were got.