Objectives:
Sporotrichosis is a chronic cutaneous fungal infection caused by Sporothrix (S.) schenckii complex. Sporotrichosis was common deep mycosis in Korea. There was no molecular studies until 2016. In northeast China and Japan, S. globoas was main species of Sporothrix, and S. schenckii sensu stricto was very rare. We want to know accurate species of Korean strains reported as S. schenckii.


Methods:
After searching old strains of Sporothrix spp. at fungus collection centers in Korea, we found 3 strains of S. schenckii stored more than 10 years. Ribosomal DNA ITS sequence of the old strains were compared with 6 strains isolated recently from Korean patients. We reviewed literatures for molecular studies with Korean strains.

Results:
Ribosomal ITS sequences of old strains and recent strains were 100 % identical with S. globosa. There was no S. schenckii sensu stricto. We found one study about molecular analysis of Korean S. schenckii . It was published by Ishizaki et al at 2004. All of 8 strains of Korean S. schenckii were mitochontrial subtype group B, that was S. globosa. So all strains of Korean S. schenckii were S. globosa.


Conclusion:
S. globosa might be causative species of sporotrichosis in Korea

Sporothrix in Korea