Sporothrix brasiliensis is a fungus that can spread from infected cats to people, but “flesh-eating fungus” is a sensational nickname, not the medical name or a description of what usually happens. Sporotrichosis most often causes skin nodules or ulcers. A serious outbreak has expanded across parts of South America; reported imported cases elsewhere, including the United States, do not by themselves show that the fungus is spreading locally there.
What the fungus is—and why cats matter
Sporotrichosis is an infection caused by fungi in the genus Sporothrix. Several species can cause it. Many infections arise when the fungus in soil or plant material enters a break in the skin. S. brasiliensis is notable because it spreads among cats and can pass from an infected cat to a person.
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In areas where cat-associated transmission is occurring, bites and scratches are common routes of infection. Fungus-containing fluid from skin lesions can also enter broken skin. A 2025 CDC report describes transmission through lesion fluid and says spread in droplets from a cat’s sneeze is probable; that route should be treated as less certain than bites, scratches and lesion contact.
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This is not cat-scratch disease, which is a bacterial infection. The shared word “scratch” describes a possible route of exposure, not the same illness.
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Where it has spread—and what the numbers show
The established outbreak is in South America, particularly Brazil, with cat-transmitted disease also documented in neighboring countries. The figures below come from different types of reports and are not directly comparable: one is a regional summary, another a single-city hospital series, and another a small outbreak investigation.
| Evidence | What was reported | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| World Health Organization fact sheet, 15 November 2023 | More than 11,000 human cases in affected South American areas, mainly Brazil, over the preceding 10 years. | A dated regional total; the fact sheet does not provide a common surveillance denominator for calculating an annual incidence rate. |
| CDC study of Curitiba, Brazil, published July 2023 | From 2011 to 2021, 0.3 to 21.4 cases per 100,000 outpatient visit-years. The retrospective series included 216 cases diagnosed at a tertiary referral hospital from 2011 through May 2022: 84 proven and 132 probable. Of these, 126 (58%) were diagnosed during 2019–2021. | A single-city hospital series, not a national rate. Its case count and outpatient-visit denominator describe that setting. |
| CDC report on Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, published May 2025 | Nine proven feline cases in seven households over seven months. | An outbreak observation from one location, not an estimate for Argentina as a whole. |
The 2023 Curitiba study reported that, by 2022, cat-transmitted sporotrichosis had been reported in 25 of Brazil’s 26 states and in Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. It also described a case in a UK veterinarian in 2022 linked to an imported cat. A CDC report published 18 August 2025 documented cases in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, as well as imported cases in the United Kingdom and United States. An imported case is not evidence, on its own, of ongoing community transmission in the country where it was diagnosed.
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For U.S. context, CDC’s 24 April 2024 basics page said spread of S. brasiliensis in the United States had not been reported to that date. The later reports of imported cases are a different finding; the cited information does not establish local U.S. spread or a general-population outbreak.
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After the fungus enters through broken skin, a small, often painless bump may appear in 1 to 12 weeks, according to CDC. It can enlarge or become a slow-healing ulcer. Further nodules may develop along lymphatic vessels, sometimes extending up an arm or leg from the original wound. These signs have other possible causes, so they cannot confirm sporotrichosis on their own.
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Most disease affects the skin and tissue just beneath it. Less commonly, infection affects the eye or lungs, or spreads to bones, joints or the central nervous system. People with weakened immune systems are at particular risk of disseminated disease. Persistent or worsening lesions after contact with a sick cat warrant medical advice, especially if the person is immunocompromised.
What to do if a cat may be infected
For the person exposed
- After a bite, scratch or contact between lesion fluid and broken skin, wash the area and contact a healthcare professional promptly, particularly if a persistent bump or ulcer develops.
- Tell the clinician about the cat exposure and where it occurred. Do not try to diagnose the infection from a photograph or treat it with leftover medication.
For the cat
- Contact a veterinarian if a cat has suspicious skin lesions or may have been exposed in an affected area. A veterinarian can assess the animal and decide on testing and care.
- Avoid handling lesions directly. Brazil’s Ministry of Health advises owners and veterinarians to use personal protective equipment when handling sick animals; gloves and protective clothing reduce exposure but are not a guarantee.
- Do not abandon a suspected or sick cat. Early identification and veterinary treatment are recognized measures for limiting spread.
Veterinarians and people who care for or own cats in places where cat-transmitted sporotrichosis is spreading are among the groups CDC identifies as having greater exposure risk. The issue involves animal, human and environmental health, often described as a One Health concern.
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How diagnosis and treatment work
Clinicians may use microscopy, examination of tissue (histopathology) and fungal culture to diagnose sporotrichosis; other testing can be appropriate depending on the suspected site and severity. Diagnosis matters because several conditions can produce similar-looking skin lesions.
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How to think about the risk
The reports describe a real and expanding regional outbreak, not a claim that ordinary contact with any cat is highly dangerous. Risk is most relevant where infected cats are present and when bites, scratches or lesion fluid expose broken skin. Geography matters: an imported case signals travel-associated detection, not necessarily local spread. If you live in or travel to an affected area, use veterinary advice for sick cats, avoid direct contact with lesions, and seek care for a persistent skin lesion after exposure.
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