Disseminated sporotrichosis masquerading as tuberculosis in a patient without overt immunodeficiency: challenges in tuberculosis-endemic area.
Natthapong Suthammopasut, Athitaya Luangnara
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 78-year-old man presented with progressive ulcerative skin lesions, pulmonary symptoms, and osteomyelitis over six months. Initial tests did not identify infectious organisms, and a standard anti-tuberculous treatment was ineffective. Further investigation revealed dark colonies of Sporothrix schenckii complex from a fungal culture of the skin lesions, leading to the diagnosis of disseminated sporotrichosis.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider sporotrichosis in patients presenting with ulcerative skin lesions and pulmonary symptoms, especially in tuberculosis-endemic regions where misdiagnosis can occur.
Why it matters
This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by sporotrichosis, which can mimic tuberculosis, emphasizing the need for careful differential diagnosis in endemic areas.