Sporotrichosis in north western India (Report of 5 cases).

Five women with lympho-cutaneous sporotrichosis with a mean age of 46.8 years, were seen over the last 3 years. Four belonged to rural Himachal Pradesh and one to Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Upper extremity was affected in three patients. Sporotrichum schenkie was isolated form 3 patients and confirmed by the mice pathogenicity test. S ' Schenki was demonstrated in the histopathology specimen in one patient. All the patients responded to oral potassium iodide, complete clearance occurring after a mean period of 3.5 months. One patient developed mild iodism and another had crythema nodosu'm like eurption during treatment. Himachal Pradesh seems to be harbouring pockets of sporotrichosis.