Cat Ailments A to Z - Sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Sporothrix schenckii.
The fungus lives throughout the world and can be found in:

• Soil

• Plants

• Decaying Vegetation.

         

 Cutaneous (skin) infection is the most common form of infection and usually occurs after handling contaminated plant material, when the fungus enters the skin through a small cut or scrape.
That is according to the CDC which is speaking in regards to human contact with the fungus.

If you see your cat holding a plant...you may want to get a few pictures. 

Your Cat will not be handling plant material, or soil or decaying vegetation. It will be walking through it.. stepping on it and then grooming its self which will cause it to be spread from paw to ear or face or even...to us!
This is another one of those Zoonotic diseases that Cats can pass to humans.




The large number of organisms shed from the wound and in the feces of infected cats is believed to be responsible for the increased zoonotic potential of feline sporotrichosi

Self cleaning kitty litters... and hazmat suits? 

In cats, intact male cats that roam outdoors and fight are predisposed to puncture wounds.
The evil fungus is very fond of infecting through a wound.
The cat does not have to be intact to become infected or to infect other animals.
But..
An intact male tends to roam more, and tends to fight more.
Get your Cats fixed and keep them inside...just saying...

Symptoms
There are 3 types - or forms of Sporotrichosis 
Lymphocutaneous

• Small, firm bumps or nodules form
• As infection ascends along the lymphatic vessels, cording and new nodules develop. 
• Lesions ulcerate and discharge a serohemorrhagic exudate. ( they start to ooze a mix of blood and serum)
• Lesions are most often seen on the head, especially on the bridge of the nose and outer ear
• Fighting would result in wounds located on the limbs and torso, tail and neck ( so sounds like you will at least be less likely to see it on their bellies)
• Although systemic illness is not seen initially, chronic illness may result in fever, listlessness, and depression.

Cutaneous

• Remains localized to the site of inoculation ( where it got in the body - cut or wound )
• Lesions may be multicentric( have multiple centers of origin )

Disseminated

•  Rare but potentially fatal and may develop with neglect of cutaneous and lymphocutaneous forms. 

• Infection develops via hematogenous(carried by blood) or tissue spread from the initial site of inoculation to the bone, lungs, liver, spleen, testes, GI tract, or CNS

The Lymphocutaneous form is the most common. 

Merck Veterinary Manual 
CDC  
PetMD 
VetBook

Those sites above can give you more information on how this would be diagnosed and treated. 

I wont be posting any images of what this looks like on a cat. 
- It does not look nice. 

The good news is this does not seem to be common around here (Canada)
The bad news is..Cats live outside of Canada...

The absolute best way to prevent this from occurring is to KEEP YOUR CAT INSIDE 

Outside is just mean at times.  
I know it seems as if we are confining them in some sort of jail.. at least that is how my current foster kitty seems to look at  me thinking...But he's an intact street kitty..well he was a street kitty.. and as of Tuesday he will be neutered. 

I am not sure if any of the sites give any indication on how to stop the fungus from starting in the first place...this may be helpful - If I find some info in regards to that I will add it later.