Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Mycoses. 2024 Oct;67(10):e13806. doi: 10.1111/myc.13806.
Sporotrichosis is a disease that arises from a fungal infection caused by members of the Ascomycete genus Sporothrix. The disease has a unique history in South Africa, due to an association with gold mines, where large numbers of mine workers were infected in the 1930s and 1940s. This was likely driven by hot humid conditions and timber supports used in these mine shafts. Furthermore, the disease is the most common subcutaneous fungal infection amongst the general population in South Africa, and the large number of immunocompromised individuals increases the public health risk in the country. Sporothrix is a genus in the Ophiostomatales, a fungal order primarily associated with environmental habitats. Unsurprisingly, sporotrichosis therefore has a documented history of sapronotic transmission from contaminated plant material. This review provides insights into the understanding of sporotrichosis and Sporothrix species, with a particular emphasis on the South African situation. We highlight knowledge gaps, particularly regarding the ecological factors influencing the occurrence and distribution of these species, which in turn affect the patterns of sporotrichosis. We also emphasise a need for ongoing proactive research and surveillance to prevent future outbreaks of sporotrichosis, an emerging disease with growing health implications worldwide.
孢子丝菌病是一种由申克氏孢子丝菌属的真菌引起的疾病。由于与金矿有关，南非的这种疾病具有独特的历史。20 世纪 30 年代和 40 年代，大量矿工在金矿中感染了这种疾病，这可能是由炎热潮湿的环境和这些矿井中使用的木材支撑物引起的。此外，孢子丝菌病是南非普通人群中最常见的皮下真菌感染，大量免疫功能低下的个体增加了该国的公共卫生风险。孢子丝菌是一种在小煤炱目中的真菌属，主要与环境栖息地有关。因此，孢子丝菌病从受污染的植物材料中发生腐生性传播有明确的记载。这篇综述提供了对孢子丝菌病和孢子丝菌属的理解，特别强调了南非的情况。我们强调了知识差距，特别是影响这些物种发生和分布的生态因素，这反过来又影响了孢子丝菌病的流行模式。我们还强调需要持续进行积极主动的研究和监测，以预防孢子丝菌病的未来爆发，这是一种在全球范围内具有日益严重健康影响的新兴疾病。
