Childhood Sporotrichosis Mimicking Leishmaniasis: Favourable Outcome with Potassium Iodide

Abstract

Sporotrichosis is a chronic infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, caused by the fungus Sporothrix schenkii. In childhood this entity is rare and currently the most frequent in this age group is the zoonotic transmission. The delay in diagnosis and inadvertent use of multiple antimicrobial regimens favor disease progression, therefore causing pain and subsequent scars. The main differential diagnosis for the skin and lymphocutaneous forms is leishmaniasis. Although there are international recommendations for using itraconazole as the first line treatment, it has a level of evidence equal to the saturated solution of potassium iodide and this liquid presentation is more confortable for children.