Ex vivo determination of potentially virulent Sporothrix schenckii

Abstract

Hyphae from 30 isolants ofSporothrix andOphiostoma species were washed, dried and pyrolyzed at 350°C. Pyrolysis products were separated on a Carbowax column heated 7.5°C/min to and maintained for 50 min at 160°C. Hydrogen flame detector responses were recorded graphically. Fifteen clinical isolants ofS. schenckii from geographically separated sources produced qualitatively identical pyrograms.S. foliorum, 8 avirulentS. schenckii and otherSporothrix species isolants from soils, andSporothrix states of 6Ophiostoma species yielded pyrograms readily distinguished from each other and from those of virulentS. schenckii. Taxonomic and clinical implications of the pyrograms are mentioned.