Epidemiology of sporotrichosis in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul

Thirty-one cases of sporotrichosis diagnosed in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul from 1988 to1997 were studied. Clinical data were compared with a study concerning three past decades, clearly showingt a decrease in the incidence of the mycosis, and an alteration in the profile of the infection, with a decrease of sporotrichosis in rural patients, children, women and farmers. In the past decade the mycosis was most frequent among urban adults with different professions, with the onset of the disease being associated with rural leisure activities such as fishing and hunting.