Sporotrichosis is a widespread subcutaneous mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungi now known as the
Sporothrix schenckii
complex. This complex is comprised of at least six species, including
Sporothrix albicans
,
Sporothrix brasiliensis
,
Sporothrix globosa
,
Sporothrix luriei
,
Sporothrix mexicana
and
S. schenckii. Cases of sporotrichosis have significantly increased in Brazil over the past decade, especially in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), where an epidemic among cat owners has been observed. The zoonotic transmission from cats to humans suggests a common source of infection and indicates that animals can act as vectors. We performed a molecular characterisation of samples collected during the first outbreak of familial sporotrichosis caused by
S. brasiliensis in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. These results represent the first description of such an outbreak outside the endemic area of zoonotic sporotrichosis in RJ.
