Symptoms:

Symptoms include a small, painless, red lump that develops at the site of infection and eventually turns into an ulcer. The lump may develop up to 3 months following an injury.

Lesions are often on the hands and forearm, as these areas are a common site of injury.

The fungus follows lymph nodes in the body, causing small ulcers to appear in lines on the skin as the infection goes up an arm or leg. These lesions do not heal unless treated and may remain ulcerated for years.

Body-wide (systemic) sporotrichosis can cause lung and breathing problems, bone infection, arthritis, and infection of the nervous system.

Signs and tests:

A physical examination reveals the typical lesions. In some cases, a small sample of affected tissue is taken from the body and examined under a microscope to identify the fungus.