Overall, sporotrichosis is rare, but people who handle plant matter such as sphagnum moss, rose bushes, or hay are more likely to get the infection. For example, sporotrichosis outbreaks have occurred among forestry workers, people who worked in tree nurseries and garden centers, and people who handled hay bales. The severe forms of sporotrichosis (those that affect the lungs, bones or joints, or central nervous system) usually affect people with weakened immune systems or underlying diseases including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), alcoholism, or HIV infection.
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