If you come across a small stray cat, all alone, lost, hungry, you will most certainly get it back. If this happens in Uruguay, we advise you not to do it. Local health authorities are on alert after reports of an entire family suffering from mysterious skin lesions. The culprit? A microscopic fungus capable of modifying its own biological structure depending on the temperature to colonize the bodies of mammals… and jump from cats to humans.
In our four-legged companions, the first signs of this infection can be confused with the after-effects of a simple fight. An infected cat will develop scabs, lose hair in patches and have open sores that refuse to heal, located mainly on the muzzle, ears and paws. It is by handling these animals without protection, or by receiving a poorly placed scratch, that humans in turn contract the rare disease, called sporotrichosis.
The expansion of this pathogen is now taken very seriously by the authorities. According to an alarming report relayed by Econews, the presence of the fungus was officially confirmed in Uruguay following the detection of several unrelated local outbreaks. Brazil, the cradle of the epidemic, has recorded more than 11,000 human cases over the past decade. Today, the disease is also progressing in Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, creating a real regional health crisis.
A diagnostic trap for humans
For Dr. Elisa Cabeza, assistant professor of parasitology and mycology at the Uruguay Institute of Hygiene, vigilance must be maximum. She explains that this discovery “triggered active epidemiological surveillance” because this specific species of fungus is known to cause real waves of contamination, with sometimes aggressive forms in the most fragile people.
In humans, the infection begins in a rather banal way with the appearance of small red spots or plaques on the arms, legs or face. Without treatment, these pimples turn into persistent ulcers and tend to spread. Although the disease most often remains localized on the surface of the skin, it can sometimes migrate deeper and attack the joints, the respiratory system or cause meningitis in children and immunocompromised people.
Several factors complicate the fight against this fungus and the potential epidemic. On the one hand, controlling stray cats, which act as a natural reservoir for the fungus, is particularly difficult; on the other hand, in areas where medical resources are lacking, making a rapid diagnosis is sometimes an obstacle course.
Fortunately, the disease is well treated thanks to antifungals administered orally: a particularly long and restrictive treatment, generally extending over a period of three to four months to completely eliminate the intruder.
