Ex vivo determination of potentially virulent Sporothrix schenckii,

Hyphae from 30 isolants of Sporothrix and Ophiostoma species were washed, dried and pyrolyzed at 350 degrees C. Pyrolysis products were separated on a Carbowax column heated 7.5 degrees C/min to and maintained for 50 min at 160 degrees C. Hydrogen flame detector responses were recorded graphically. Fifteen clinical isolants of S. schenckii from geographically separated sources produced qualitatively identical pyrograms. S. foliorum, 8 avirulent S. schenckii and other Sporothrix species isolants from soils, and Sporothrix states of 6 Ophiostoma species yielded pyrograms readily distinguished from each other and from those of virulent S. schenckii. Taxonomic and clinical implications of the pyrograms are mentioned.