[A case of sporotrichosis with numerous fungal elements]

We report a case of cutaneous sporotrichosis with numerous fungal elements in a 59-year-old Japanese male treated with topical corticosteroid ointment. Histologically, granulomas were found with a few of neutrophils, many lymphocytes and plasmocytes in the upper dermis. Numerous yeasts were found in the granulomas. They were stained with periodic acid Schiff, but not with hematoxylin and eosin. No asteroid body was detected. After treatment of the corticosteroid, histological pattern is different from usual pattern, such as the number of fungal elements is larger, extent of neutrophil infiltration is slighter and very rare appearance of asteroid body. These histological differences are likely to be induced by the local immunosuppression after corticosteroid treatment.