Bulbar conjunctival sporotrichosis presenting as a salmon-pink tumor.

PURPOSE

To report a patient with bulbar conjunctival sporotrichosis presenting as a salmon-pink tumor.

METHODS

This was an interventional case report. A 62-year-old woman presented with conjunctival injection in her left eye. Despite administration of topical dexamethasone sodium, ofloxacin, and levocabastine hydrochloride, her symptoms failed to improve and she was referred to us.

RESULTS

Four weeks after referral to us, the patient gradually developed conjunctival injection in both eyes and a salmon-pink tumor in the bulbar conjunctiva of the left eye. Excision biopsy was performed and pathologic examination revealed an epithelioid granuloma with microabscesses and infiltration of plasma cells with yeast-like spherules. A sporotrichin intradermal test was strongly positive. Based on a diagnosis of sporotrichosis, we treated her with topical fluconazole 0.2% in both eyes and oral potassium iodide (450 mg). The bilateral conjunctival injection and subconjunctival tumor in the left eye gradually resolved and had completely disappeared after 3 months of treatment.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of bulbar conjunctival sporotrichosis with a salmon-pink conjunctival tumor. Although rare, ophthalmologists should be aware of this entity during examination of patients with intractable conjunctival injection.