The symptoms of sporotrichosis depend on where the fungus is growing. Sporotrichosis usually affects the skin or tissues underneath the skin.
The first symptom of cutaneous (skin) sporotrichosis is usually a small, painless bump that can develop any time from 1 to 12 weeks after exposure to the fungus. The bump can be red, pink, or purple, and it usually appears on the finger, hand, or arm where the fungus has entered through a break in the skin. The bump will eventually grow larger and may look like an open sore or ulcer that is very slow to heal. Additional bumps or sores may appear later near the original one.
Pulmonary (lung) sporotrichosis is less common than the cutaneous (skin) form of the infection. Symptoms include cough, shorthess of breath, chest pain, and fever. Symptoms of disseminated sporotrichosis depend on the body part affected. For example, infection of the joints can cause joint pain that may be confused with rheumatoid arthritis. Infections of the central nervous system can involve difficulty thinking, headache, and seizures.
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