201
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Nyazika TK, Robertson VJ, Nherera B, Mapondera PT, Meis JF, Hagen F. Comparison of biotyping methods as alternative identification tools to molecular typing of pathogenic Cryptococcus species in sub-Saharan Africa. Mycoses 2015; 59:151-6. [PMID: 26661484 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis is the leading fungal infection and AIDS defining opportunistic illness in patients with late stage HIV infection, particularly in South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Given the high mortality, clinical differences and the extensive ecological niche of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes, there is need for laboratories in sub-Sahara African countries to adopt new and alternative reliable diagnostic algorithms that rapidly identify and distinguish these species. We biotyped 74 and then amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) genotyped 66 Cryptococcus isolates from a cohort of patients with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. C. gattii sensu lato was isolated at a prevalence of 16.7% (n = 11/66) and C. neoformans sensu stricto was responsible for 83.3% (n = 55/66) of the infections. l-Canavanine glycine bromothymol blue, yeast-carbon-base-d-proline-d-tryptophan and creatinine dextrose bromothymol blue thymine were able to distinguish pathogenic C. gattii sensu lato from C. neoformans sensu stricto species when compared with AFLP genotyping. This study demonstrates high C. gattii sensu lato prevalence in Zimbabwe. In addition, biotyping methods can be used as alternative diagnostic tools to molecular typing in resource-limited areas for differentiating pathogenic Cryptococcus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinashe K Nyazika
- Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.,Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Valerie J Robertson
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Brenda Nherera
- Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Prichard T Mapondera
- Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Jacques F Meis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ferry Hagen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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202
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Kawamura I, Kamei K, Yarita K, Ohkusu M, Ito K, Tsukahara M, Honda M, Nakashima K, Akamatsu H, Kurai H. Cryptococcus gattii genotype VGIIb infection in Japan. Med Mycol J 2015; 55:E51-4. [PMID: 25231224 DOI: 10.3314/mmj.55.e51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This report describes a case of Cryptococcus gattii VGIIb infection of the pulmonary and central nervous systems in an immunocompetent Japanese man with a travel history, and it hypothesizes the place where he was infected with C. gattii using the genotype information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ichiro Kawamura
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital
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203
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Cho O, Matsukura M, Sugita T. Molecular evidence that the opportunistic fungal pathogen Trichosporon asahii is part of the normal fungal microbiota of the human gut based on rRNA genotyping. Int J Infect Dis 2015; 39:87-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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204
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205
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Cryptococcosis by Cryptococcus gattii in China. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2015; 15:1135-1136. [DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(15)00301-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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206
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Kangogo M, Bader O, Boga H, Wanyoike W, Folba C, Worasilchai N, Weig M, Groß U, Bii CC. Molecular types of Cryptococcus gattii/Cryptococcus neoformans species complex from clinical and environmental sources in Nairobi, Kenya. Mycoses 2015; 58:665-70. [PMID: 26404188 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Revised: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis infections cause high mortality rates among HIV-infected patients in Sub-Saharan Africa. The high incidences of cryptococcal infections may be attributed to common environmental sources which, if identified, could lead to institution of appropriate control strategies. To determine the genotypes of Cryptococcus gattii/C. neoformans- species complex from Nairobi, Kenya, 123 clinical and environmental isolates were characterised. Typing was done using orotidine monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (URA5) gene restriction fragment length polymorphism (URA5-RFLP). The majority of the isolates [105/123; 85.4%] were C. neoformans genotype (AFLPI/VNI) and 1.6% AFLP1A/VNB/VNII, whereas (13%) were C. gattii (AFLP4/VGI). This is the first report on the genotypes of C. gattii/C. neoformans species complex from clinical and environmental sources in Nairobi, Kenya and the isolation of C. gattii genotype AFLP4/VGI from the environment in Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mourine Kangogo
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Oliver Bader
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hamadi Boga
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Wanjiru Wanyoike
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Claudia Folba
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Navaporn Worasilchai
- Interdisciplinary Program, Medical Microbiology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Michael Weig
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Uwe Groß
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christine C Bii
- Medical Mycology Unit, Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
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207
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Castro e Silva DM, Santos DCS, Martins MA, Oliveira L, Szeszs MW, Melhem MSC. First isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans genotype VNI MAT-alpha from wood inside hollow trunks of Hymenaea courbaril. Med Mycol 2015; 54:97-102. [PMID: 26337089 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myv066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal infection is transmitted by the inhalation of Cryptococcus spp. propagules. Information about the Cryptococcus species inhabiting plants might be clinically relevant due to the epidemiological role of these habitats as possible sources of human infection. The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge about the environmental occurrence of cryptococcosis agents. Hollow tree vegetal debris of nine plant species was sampled quarterly over a 12-month period. Melanized colonies were screened for Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii by biochemical tests, followed by URA5-RFLP molecular analysis, M13 fingerprinting assays, and mating-typing with the specific a and α primers. The susceptibility to fluconazole of all of the confirmed species colonies was determined using the AFST-EUCAST broth dilution method. We found that the typical Brazilian flora tree Hymenaea courbaril yielded a high cryptococcal burden (median, 10(2) CFU/g) during the summer, autumn and winter seasons. C. neoformans VNI molecular type MAT alpha was identified in all of the samples. The fingerprinting analyses showed great molecular variability with no correlation with the susceptibility profile to fluconazole (MIC range 4 to ≥64 mg/l). To our knowledge, this study is the first describing the association between C. neoformans and Hymenaea courbaril. These observations extend the known geographic distribution of and substantiate a new urban environmental niche for C. neoformans and also emphasize the genetic diversity of the environmental C. neoformans VNI molecular type isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Castro e Silva
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Secretariat of Health, Government of São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - D C S Santos
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Secretariat of Health, Government of São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - M A Martins
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Secretariat of Health, Government of São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - L Oliveira
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Secretariat of Health, Government of São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - M W Szeszs
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Secretariat of Health, Government of São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - M S C Melhem
- Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Secretariat of Health, Government of São Paulo State, Brazil
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208
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Park SH, Choi SC, Lee KW, Kim MN, Hwang SM. Genotypes of Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in Korea. MYCOBIOLOGY 2015; 43:360-365. [PMID: 26539057 PMCID: PMC4630447 DOI: 10.5941/myco.2015.43.3.360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Multilocus sequence typing analysis was applied to determine the genotypes of 147 (137 clinical and 10 environmental) Cryptococcus neoformans and three clinical Cryptococcus gattii isolates from 1993 to 2014 in Korea. Among the 137 clinical isolates of C. neoformans, the most prevalent genotype was ST5 (n = 131), followed by ST31 (n = 5) and ST127 (n = 1). Three C. gattii strains were identified as ST57, ST7, and ST113. All environmental isolates were identified as C. neoformans with two genotypes, ST5 (n = 7) and ST31 (n = 3). Our results show that C. neoformans isolates in Korea are genetically homogeneous, and represent a close genetic relationship between clinical and environmental isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Hae Park
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan 46252, Korea
| | - Seok Cheol Choi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan 46252, Korea
| | - Kyung Won Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Mi-Na Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Soo Myung Hwang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan 46252, Korea
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209
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Increased Antifungal Drug Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans in Uganda. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:7197-204. [PMID: 26324276 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01299-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal antigen screening is recommended among people living with AIDS when entering HIV care with a CD4 count of <100 cells/μl, and preemptive fluconazole monotherapy treatment is recommended for those with subclinical cryptococcal antigenemia. Yet, knowledge is limited of current antimicrobial resistance in Africa. We examined antifungal drug susceptibility in 198 clinical isolates collected from Kampala, Uganda, between 2010 and 2014 using the CLSI broth microdilution assay. In comparison with two previous studies from 1998 to 1999 that reported an MIC50 of 4 μg/ml and an MIC90 of 8 μg/ml prior to widespread human fluconazole and agricultural azole fungicide usage, we report an upward shift in the fluconazole MIC50 to 8 μg/ml and an MIC90 value of 32 μg/ml, with 31% of isolates with a fluconazole MIC of ≥ 16 μg/ml. We observed an amphotericin B MIC50 of 0.5 μg/ml and an MIC90 of 1 μg/ml, of which 99.5% of isolates (197 of 198 isolates) were still susceptible. No correlation between MIC and clinical outcome was observed in the context of amphotericin B and fluconazole combination induction therapy. We also analyzed Cryptococcus susceptibility to sertraline, with an MIC50 of 4 μg/ml, suggesting that sertraline is a promising oral, low-cost, available, novel medication and a possible alternative to fluconazole. Although the CLSI broth microdilution assay is ideal to standardize results, limit human bias, and increase assay capacity, such assays are often inaccessible in low-income countries. Thus, we also developed and validated an assay that could easily be implemented in a resource-limited setting, with similar susceptibility results (P = 0.52).
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210
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Development of a Multilocus Sequence Typing System for Medically Relevant Bipolaris Species. J Clin Microbiol 2015. [PMID: 26202112 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01546-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is the gold standard genotyping technique for many microorganisms. This classification approach satisfies the requirements for a high-resolution, standardized, and archivable taxonomic system. Here, we describe the development of a novel MLST system to assist with the investigation of an unusual cluster of surgical site infections caused by Bipolaris spp. in postoperative cardiothoracic surgery (POCS) patients during January 2008 to December 2013 in the southeastern United States. We also used the same MLST system to perform a retrospective analysis on isolates from a 2012 Bipolaris endophthalmitis outbreak caused by a contaminated product. This MLST system showed high intraspecies discriminatory power for Bipolaris spicifera, B. hawaiiensis, and B. australiensis. Based on the relatedness of the isolates, the MLST data supported the hypothesis that infections in the POCS cluster were from different environmental sources while confirming that the endophthalmitis outbreak resulted from a point source, which was a contaminated medication.
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211
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HIV/AIDS-Associated Cryptococcosis in Portugal Spanning the Pre- to Post-HAART Era: A Retrospective Assessment at the Genotypic Level Based on URA5-RFLP. Curr Microbiol 2015; 71:449-57. [PMID: 26169111 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-015-0873-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcosis caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic mycosis, infecting mainly immunodepressed individuals. Molecular epidemiology studies of cryptococcosis in Europe are limited. This paper presents a retrospective study of cryptococcosis in 105 cryptococcal isolates from two hospitals in Lisbon, Portugal, among HIV/AIDS patients, from 1991 to 2007. Among these patients, the number of cases of cryptococcosis increased from 5.1 to 6.9 cases per year from the pre- to post-highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. As expected, the median age of the patients increased, from 32 (mean: 33 ± 8) to 39 (mean: 41 ± 10) years, and the ratio of male to female patients remained high (7.7 and 7.6, respectively). Strain genotyping based on restriction fragment length polymorphism of the orotidine monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (URA5-RFLP) gene showed that, in general, the relative frequencies of the genotypes VNI-IV are similar to those from other European countries. These frequencies were, respectively, for the pre- and post-HAART periods: 41.7 and 43.5 % for VNI; 2.8 and 17.4 % for VNII; 38.9 and 30.4 % for VNIII; 16.7 and 7.2 % for VNIV and 0 and 1.4 % for VGII. Some apparent although statistically insignificant differences among these values were observed between both periods. The genotypic frequencies were not also statistically different according to the patients' gender or age range. Of note are the high proportion of VNIII isolates (common in Europe) and the high increase in the frequency of the VNII genotype in the post-HAART. Ultimately, these results may have implications in disease therapy, management and control.
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212
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Rodrigues J, Fonseca FL, Schneider RO, Godinho RMDC, Firacative C, Maszewska K, Meyer W, Schrank A, Staats C, Kmetzsch L, Vainstein MH, Rodrigues ML. Pathogenic diversity amongst serotype C VGIII and VGIV Cryptococcus gattii isolates. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11717. [PMID: 26153364 PMCID: PMC4495446 DOI: 10.1038/srep11717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii is one of the causative agents of human cryptococcosis. Highly virulent strains of serotype B C. gattii have been studied in detail, but little information is available on the pathogenic properties of serotype C isolates. In this study, we analyzed pathogenic determinants in three serotype C C. gattii isolates (106.97, ATCC 24066 and WM 779). Isolate ATCC 24066 (molecular type VGIII) differed from isolates WM 779 and 106.97 (both VGIV) in capsule dimensions, expression of CAP genes, chitooligomer distribution, and induction of host chitinase activity. Isolate WM 779 was more efficient than the others in producing pigments and all three isolates had distinct patterns of reactivity with antibodies to glucuronoxylomannan. This great phenotypic diversity reflected in differential pathogenicity. VGIV isolates WM 779 and 106.97 were similar in their ability to cause lethality and produced higher pulmonary fungal burden in a murine model of cryptococcosis, while isolate ATCC 24066 (VGIII) was unable to reach the brain and caused reduced lethality in intranasally infected mice. These results demonstrate a high diversity in the pathogenic potential of isolates of C. gattii belonging to the molecular types VGIII and VGIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Rodrigues
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernanda L Fonseca
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael O Schneider
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo M da C Godinho
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolina Firacative
- 1] Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School - Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia [2] Grupo de Microbiología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Krystyna Maszewska
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School - Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School - Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Augusto Schrank
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Charley Staats
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Livia Kmetzsch
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marilene H Vainstein
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marcio L Rodrigues
- 1] Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [2] Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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213
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Chen Y, Litvintseva AP, Frazzitta AE, Haverkamp MR, Wang L, Fang C, Muthoga C, Mitchell TG, Perfect JR. Comparative analyses of clinical and environmental populations of Cryptococcus neoformans in Botswana. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:3559-71. [PMID: 26053414 PMCID: PMC4758399 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii (Cng) is the most common cause of fungal meningitis, and its prevalence is highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Patients become infected by inhaling airborne spores or desiccated yeast cells from the environment, where the fungus thrives in avian droppings, trees and soil. To investigate the prevalence and population structure of Cng in southern Africa, we analysed isolates from 77 environmental samples and 64 patients. We detected significant genetic diversity among isolates and strong evidence of geographic structure at the local level. High proportions of isolates with the rare MATa allele were observed in both clinical and environmental isolates; however, the mating-type alleles were unevenly distributed among different subpopulations. Nearly equal proportions of the MATa and MATα mating types were observed among all clinical isolates and in one environmental subpopulation from the eastern part of Botswana. As previously reported, there was evidence of both clonality and recombination in different geographic areas. These results provide a foundation for subsequent genomewide association studies to identify genes and genotypes linked to pathogenicity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 163 Hanes House, Trent Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, RM 214 Jones Building, Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Anastasia P Litvintseva
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, RM 214 Jones Building, Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Aubrey E Frazzitta
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 163 Hanes House, Trent Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Miriam R Haverkamp
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Botswana-UPenn Partnership, National Health Laboratory, PO Box AC 157 ACH, Plot 5353 Extension 10 Church Road, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Liuyang Wang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 163 Hanes House, Trent Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Charles Fang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 163 Hanes House, Trent Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Charles Muthoga
- Botswana-UPenn Partnership, National Health Laboratory, PO Box AC 157 ACH, Plot 5353 Extension 10 Church Road, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Thomas G Mitchell
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, RM 214 Jones Building, Research Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - John R Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 163 Hanes House, Trent Drive, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
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214
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Beale MA, Sabiiti W, Robertson EJ, Fuentes-Cabrejo KM, O’Hanlon SJ, Jarvis JN, Loyse A, Meintjes G, Harrison TS, May RC, Fisher MC, Bicanic T. Genotypic Diversity Is Associated with Clinical Outcome and Phenotype in Cryptococcal Meningitis across Southern Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003847. [PMID: 26110902 PMCID: PMC4482434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis is a major cause of mortality throughout the developing world, yet little is known about the genetic markers underlying Cryptococcal virulence and patient outcome. We studied a cohort of 230 Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) isolates from HIV-positive South African clinical trial patients with detailed clinical follow-up using multi-locus sequence typing and in vitro phenotypic virulence assays, correlating these data with clinical and fungal markers of disease in the patient. South African Cn displayed high levels of genetic diversity and locus variability compared to globally distributed types, and we identified 50 sequence types grouped within the main molecular types VNI, VNII and VNB, with 72% of isolates typed into one of seven 'high frequency' sequence types. Spatial analysis of patients’ cryptococcal genotype was not shown to be clustered geographically, which might argue against recent local acquisition and in favour of reactivation of latent infection. Through comparison of MLST genotyping data with clinical parameters, we found a relationship between genetic lineage and clinical outcome, with patients infected with the VNB lineage having significantly worse survival (n=8, HR 3.35, CI 1.51-7.20, p=0.003), and this was maintained even after adjustment for known prognostic indicators and treatment regimen. Comparison of fungal genotype with in vitro phenotype (phagocytosis, laccase activity and CSF survival) performed on a subset of 89 isolates revealed evidence of lineage-associated virulence phenotype, with the VNII lineage displaying increased laccase activity (p=0.001) and ex vivo CSF survival (p=0.0001). These findings show that Cryptococcus neoformans is a phenotypically heterogeneous pathogen, and that lineage plays an important role in cryptococcal virulence during human infection. Furthermore, a detailed understanding of the genetic diversity in Southern Africa will support further investigation into how genetic diversity is structured across African environments, allowing assessment of the risks different ecotypes pose to infection. Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is a yeast that commonly causes meningitis in HIV infected individuals in Africa, where it may account for up to 500,000 deaths every year. In this highly translational and multidisciplinary study, we used genetic analysis techniques to show that Cryptococcus found in Southern Africa represents a hotspot of genetic diversity. We combined this data with the results of microbiological techniques that assess the natural virulence traits that the yeast uses to survive and infect humans to further show that genetic diversity is associated with differences in cryptococcal phenotype. Finally, we analysed detailed clinical data on patients to investigate the clinical effects of infection with different lineages, and showed that one genetic lineage (VNB) is significantly associated with worse survival. Whilst much of our prior knowledge regarding the genetic basis of virulence is derived from studies on laboratory-adapted cryptococcal strains, our findings from this large and comprehensive MLST genotyping study of clinical isolates—linking genotype, phenotype, clinical presentation and outcome—provide direct insights into the contribution of pathogen lineage to virulence in human cryptococcal meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew A. Beale
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College School of Public Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wilber Sabiiti
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Medicine University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Emma J. Robertson
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Simon J. O’Hanlon
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College School of Public Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph N. Jarvis
- Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Loyse
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Graeme Meintjes
- Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Thomas S. Harrison
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin C. May
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, University Hospitals of Birmingham National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew C. Fisher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College School of Public Health, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MCF); (TB)
| | - Tihana Bicanic
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MCF); (TB)
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Abstract
Understanding of the taxonomy and phylogeny of Cryptococcus gattii has been advanced by modern molecular techniques. C. gattii probably diverged from Cryptococcus neoformans between 16 million and 160 million years ago, depending on the dating methods applied, and maintains diversity by recombining in nature. South America is the likely source of the virulent C. gattii VGII molecular types that have emerged in North America. C. gattii shares major virulence determinants with C. neoformans, although genomic and transcriptomic studies revealed that despite similar genomes, the VGIIa and VGIIb subtypes employ very different transcriptional circuits and manifest differences in virulence phenotypes. Preliminary evidence suggests that C. gattii VGII causes severe lung disease and death without dissemination, whereas C. neoformans disseminates readily to the central nervous system (CNS) and causes death from meningoencephalitis. Overall, currently available data indicate that the C. gattii VGI, VGII, and VGIII molecular types more commonly affect nonimmunocompromised hosts, in contrast to VGIV. New, rapid, cheap diagnostic tests and imaging modalities are assisting early diagnosis and enabling better outcomes of cerebral cryptococcosis. Complications of CNS infection include increased intracranial pressure, severe neurological sequelae, and development of immune reconstitution syndrome, although the mortality rate is low. C. gattii VGII isolates may exhibit higher fluconazole MICs than other genotypes. Optimal therapeutic regimens are yet to be determined; in most cases, initial therapy with amphotericin B and 5-flucytosine is recommended.
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216
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Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is a human opportunistic fungal pathogen causing severe disseminated meningoencephalitis, mostly in patients with cellular immune defects. This species is divided into three serotypes: A, D, and the AD hybrid. Our objectives were to compare population structures of serotype A and D clinical isolates and to assess whether infections with AD hybrids differ from infections with the other serotypes. For this purpose, we analyzed 483 isolates and the corresponding clinical data from 234 patients enrolled during the CryptoA/D study or the nationwide survey on cryptococcosis in France. Isolates were characterized in terms of ploidy, serotype, mating type, and genotype, utilizing flow cytometry, serotype- and mating type-specific PCR amplifications, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) methods. Our results suggest that C. neoformans serotypes A and D have different routes of multiplication (primarily clonal expansion versus recombination events for serotype A and serotype D, respectively) and important genomic differences. Cryptococcosis includes a high proportion of proven or probable infections (21.5%) due to a mixture of genotypes, serotypes, and/or ploidies. Multivariate analysis showed that parameters independently associated with failure to achieve cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sterilization by week 2 were a high serum antigen titer, the lack of flucytosine during induction therapy, and the occurrence of mixed infection, while infections caused by AD hybrids were more likely to be associated with CSF sterilization. Our study provides additional evidence for the possible speciation of C. neoformans var. neoformans and grubii and highlights the importance of careful characterization of causative isolates. Cryptococcus neoformans is an environmental fungus causing severe disease, estimated to be responsible for 600,000 deaths per year worldwide. This species is divided into serotypes A and D and an AD hybrid, and these could be considered two different species and an interspecies hybrid. The objectives of our study were to compare population structures of serotype A and serotype D and to assess whether infections with AD hybrids differ from infections with serotype A or D isolates in terms of clinical presentation and outcome. For this purpose, we used clinical data and strains from patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis in France. Our results suggest that, according to the serotype, isolates have different routes of multiplication and high genomic differences, confirming the possible speciation of serotypes A and D. Furthermore, we observed a better prognosis for infections caused by AD hybrid than those caused by serotype A or D, at least for those diagnosed in France.
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217
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Cryptococcus gattii genotype AFLP6/VGII meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent Filipino male in Kuwait: activation of a dormant infection. JMM Case Rep 2015. [DOI: 10.1099/jmmcr.0.000058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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218
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Forrest G, Bhalla P, DeBess E, Winthrop K, Lockhart S, Mohammadi J, Cieslak P. Cryptococcus gattiiinfection in solid organ transplant recipients: description of Oregon outbreak cases. Transpl Infect Dis 2015; 17:467-76. [DOI: 10.1111/tid.12370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Revised: 12/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G.N. Forrest
- Division of Infectious Diseases; Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Portland Oregon USA
| | - P. Bhalla
- Division of Infectious Diseases; Oregon Health and Science University; Portland Oregon USA
- Oregon Health Authority; Public Health Division; Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention; Portland Oregon USA
| | - E.E. DeBess
- Oregon Health Authority; Public Health Division; Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention; Portland Oregon USA
| | - K.L. Winthrop
- Division of Infectious Diseases; Oregon Health and Science University; Portland Oregon USA
| | - S.R. Lockhart
- Mycotic Diseases Branch; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta Georgia USA
| | - J. Mohammadi
- Division of Infectious Diseases; Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Portland Oregon USA
| | - P.R. Cieslak
- Oregon Health Authority; Public Health Division; Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention; Portland Oregon USA
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219
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Wu SY, Lei Y, Kang M, Xiao YL, Chen ZX. Molecular characterisation of clinical Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolates from Sichuan province, China. Mycoses 2015; 58:280-7. [PMID: 25808662 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous reports on the molecular characteristics of clinical isolates of Cryptococcus species in China have focused on isolates from southeast China. To obtain a more detailed molecular epidemiology, a total of 92 cryptococcal isolates were collected from Sichuan province. A total of 24 isolates from 12 other provinces were collected for comparative study. Genotypes and mating types of 116 Cryptococcus isolates were determined. Among the 116 isolates, 43 isolates (19 isolates from Sichuan and 24 isolates outside of Sichuan) were analysed by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). All 116 clinical isolates were mating type α. Most isolates (114/116) were molecular type VNI and the remaining two isolates were VGI and VGII respectively. MLST results revealed five sequence types (STs) of C. neoformans including two novel STs, with most isolates identified as ST5. The two C. gattii isolates identified in our study were ST44 and ST159. Based on our report and previous studies, there are 15 C. neoformans STs in China which can be divided into three subgroups. The C. gattii isolate from Sichuan could be a scattered subtype of VGII (ST44). Our findings demonstrated that C. neoformans isolates in Sichuan are genetically homogeneous, and ST5 is the epidemic clone of C. neoformans in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Ying Wu
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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220
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Irinyi L, Serena C, Garcia-Hermoso D, Arabatzis M, Desnos-Ollivier M, Vu D, Cardinali G, Arthur I, Normand AC, Giraldo A, da Cunha KC, Sandoval-Denis M, Hendrickx M, Nishikaku AS, de Azevedo Melo AS, Merseguel KB, Khan A, Parente Rocha JA, Sampaio P, da Silva Briones MR, e Ferreira RC, de Medeiros Muniz M, Castañón-Olivares LR, Estrada-Barcenas D, Cassagne C, Mary C, Duan SY, Kong F, Sun AY, Zeng X, Zhao Z, Gantois N, Botterel F, Robbertse B, Schoch C, Gams W, Ellis D, Halliday C, Chen S, Sorrell TC, Piarroux R, Colombo AL, Pais C, de Hoog S, Zancopé-Oliveira RM, Taylor ML, Toriello C, de Almeida Soares CM, Delhaes L, Stubbe D, Dromer F, Ranque S, Guarro J, Cano-Lira JF, Robert V, Velegraki A, Meyer W. International Society of Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM)-ITS reference DNA barcoding database--the quality controlled standard tool for routine identification of human and animal pathogenic fungi. Med Mycol 2015; 53:313-37. [PMID: 25802363 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myv008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human and animal fungal pathogens are a growing threat worldwide leading to emerging infections and creating new risks for established ones. There is a growing need for a rapid and accurate identification of pathogens to enable early diagnosis and targeted antifungal therapy. Morphological and biochemical identification methods are time-consuming and require trained experts. Alternatively, molecular methods, such as DNA barcoding, a powerful and easy tool for rapid monophasic identification, offer a practical approach for species identification and less demanding in terms of taxonomical expertise. However, its wide-spread use is still limited by a lack of quality-controlled reference databases and the evolving recognition and definition of new fungal species/complexes. An international consortium of medical mycology laboratories was formed aiming to establish a quality controlled ITS database under the umbrella of the ISHAM working group on "DNA barcoding of human and animal pathogenic fungi." A new database, containing 2800 ITS sequences representing 421 fungal species, providing the medical community with a freely accessible tool at http://www.isham.org/ and http://its.mycologylab.org/ to rapidly and reliably identify most agents of mycoses, was established. The generated sequences included in the new database were used to evaluate the variation and overall utility of the ITS region for the identification of pathogenic fungi at intra-and interspecies level. The average intraspecies variation ranged from 0 to 2.25%. This highlighted selected pathogenic fungal species, such as the dermatophytes and emerging yeast, for which additional molecular methods/genetic markers are required for their reliable identification from clinical and veterinary specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo Irinyi
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carolina Serena
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia Unitat de Recerca, Hospital Joan XXIII, Institut de Investigacio Sanitaria Rovira I Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Dea Garcia-Hermoso
- Institut Pasteur, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Molecular Mycology Unit; CNRS URA3012, Paris, France
| | - Michael Arabatzis
- Mycology Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Medical School, the University of Athens Hellenic Collection of Pathogenic Fungi (UOA/HCPF), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Marie Desnos-Ollivier
- Institut Pasteur, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Molecular Mycology Unit; CNRS URA3012, Paris, France
| | - Duong Vu
- CBS-KNAW, Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gianluigi Cardinali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences-Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Ian Arthur
- Mycology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anne-Cécile Normand
- Parasitology - Mycology, APHM, CHU Timone-Adultes, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, UMR MD3 IP-TPT, Marseille, France
| | - Alejandra Giraldo
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Keith Cassia da Cunha
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Marcelo Sandoval-Denis
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Marijke Hendrickx
- BCCM/IHEM, Biomedical fungi and yeasts collection, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Angela Satie Nishikaku
- Laboratório Especial de Micologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Analy Salles de Azevedo Melo
- Laboratório Especial de Micologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Aziza Khan
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Juliana Alves Parente Rocha
- Universidade Federal de Goiás, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Paula Sampaio
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Biology Department, School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Marcelo Ribeiro da Silva Briones
- Laboratório de Genômica e Biocomplexidade Evolutiva, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata Carmona e Ferreira
- Laboratório de Genômica e Biocomplexidade Evolutiva, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mauro de Medeiros Muniz
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas (IPEC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Laura Rosio Castañón-Olivares
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología (Unidad de Micología), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Daniel Estrada-Barcenas
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología (Unidad de Micología), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Carole Cassagne
- Parasitology - Mycology, APHM, CHU Timone-Adultes, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, UMR MD3 IP-TPT, Marseille, France
| | - Charles Mary
- Parasitology - Mycology, APHM, CHU Timone-Adultes, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, UMR MD3 IP-TPT, Marseille, France
| | - Shu Yao Duan
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fanrong Kong
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Annie Ying Sun
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Xianyu Zeng
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Zuotao Zhao
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Nausicaa Gantois
- BDEEP-EA4547, CIIL, Institut Pasteur de Lille, CHU de Lille, Université de Lille2, Lille, France
| | - Françoise Botterel
- Unité de Parasitologie - Mycologie, Dynamyc Team, CHU Henri Mondor, AP-HP, Créteil, France
| | - Barbara Robbertse
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Conrad Schoch
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Walter Gams
- CBS-KNAW, Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - David Ellis
- Mycology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Catriona Halliday
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Sharon Chen
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Tania C Sorrell
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Renaud Piarroux
- Parasitology - Mycology, APHM, CHU Timone-Adultes, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, UMR MD3 IP-TPT, Marseille, France
| | - Arnaldo L Colombo
- Laboratório Especial de Micologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Célia Pais
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Biology Department, School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Sybren de Hoog
- CBS-KNAW, Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Maria Lucia Taylor
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología (Unidad de Micología), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Conchita Toriello
- Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología (Unidad de Micología), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Célia Maria de Almeida Soares
- Universidade Federal de Goiás, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Laurence Delhaes
- BDEEP-EA4547, CIIL, Institut Pasteur de Lille, CHU de Lille, Université de Lille2, Lille, France
| | - Dirk Stubbe
- BCCM/IHEM, Biomedical fungi and yeasts collection, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Françoise Dromer
- Institut Pasteur, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Molecular Mycology Unit; CNRS URA3012, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Ranque
- Parasitology - Mycology, APHM, CHU Timone-Adultes, Marseille, France; Aix-Marseille University, UMR MD3 IP-TPT, Marseille, France
| | - Josep Guarro
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Jose F Cano-Lira
- Unitat de Microbiologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
| | - Vincent Robert
- CBS-KNAW, Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Aristea Velegraki
- Mycology Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Medical School, the University of Athens Hellenic Collection of Pathogenic Fungi (UOA/HCPF), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Bioscurity, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
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Maestrale C, Masia M, Pintus D, Lollai S, Kozel TR, Gates-Hollingsworth MA, Cancedda MG, Cabras P, Pirino S, D'Ascenzo V, Ligios C. Genetic and pathological characteristics of Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans from meningoencephalitis in autochthonous goats and mouflons, Sardinia, Italy. Vet Microbiol 2015; 177:409-13. [PMID: 25840469 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we examined in Sardinia the brain of 555 autochthonous sheep, 50 goats, and 4 mouflons which were found affected by neurological signs. We found 6 goats and one mouflon with meningoencephalitis caused by Cryptococcus sp. There was no evidence of cryptococcal infections in any of the examined sheep. MLST genotyping on Cryptococcus sp. isolates identified Cryptococcus gatti genotype AFLP4/VGI and Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans genotype AFLP2/VNIV. Phylogenetically, all Cryptococcus gattii isolates fell within the autochthonous animal, human and environmental Mediterranean isolate cluster, forming a distinct branch along with environmental strains from Alicante, in the southern Mediterranean coast of Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Maestrale
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Mariangela Masia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Davide Pintus
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Stefano Lollai
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | | | | | - Maria Giovanna Cancedda
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Pierangela Cabras
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Pirino
- Università degli Studi di Sassari, Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, via Vienna 1, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Vittoria D'Ascenzo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Ciriaco Ligios
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, G.Pegreffi, via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
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Morales BP, Trilles L, Bertho ÁL, Junior IN, de Oliveira RDVC, Wanke B, Lazéra MDS. In vitro susceptibility testing of amphotericin B for Cryptococcus neoformans variety grubii AFLP1/VNI and Cryptococcus gattii AFLP6/VGII by CLSI and flow cytometry. Mycoses 2015; 58:273-9. [PMID: 25756839 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2014] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii AFLP1/VNI is the main causative agent of cryptococcosis associated with AIDS in the world. Cryptococcus gattii AFLP6/VGII causes mainly endemic primary infection in immunocompetent hosts. To determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of C. neoformans var. grubii AFLP1/VNI and C. gattii AFLP6/VGII against amphotericin B (AMB) in a short period of time, flow cytometry (FCM) with FUN-1 fluorochrome was used to compare with broth microdilution method (CLSI M27-A3). The minimum incubation period was evaluated by minimum fungicidal concentration procedure. Seventeen clinical isolates of C. neoformans var. grubii AFLP1/VNI and 18 of C. gattii AFLP6/VGII were analysed. The time for the determination of MICs by FCM was 2 h against 72 h by CLSI M27-A3 and the comparison of MIC showed a positive significant correlation (P = 0.048). It is important to highlight the role of the FCM as an alternative method to determine the MICs for AMB in within a day, with positive cost-benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardina Penarrieta Morales
- Laboratory Medical Mycology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases Evandro Chagas Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (INI-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Environmental sampling of Ceratonia siliqua (carob) trees in Spain reveals the presence of the rare Cryptococcus gattii genotype AFLP7/VGIV. Rev Iberoam Micol 2015; 32:269-72. [PMID: 25900707 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryptococcus gattii is a pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast that is emerging in temperate climate zones worldwide. C. gattii has repetitively been isolated from numerous tree species. Ongoing environmental sampling and molecular characterization is essential to understand the presence of this primary pathogenic microorganism in the Mediterranean environment. AIMS To report the first isolation of the rare C. gattii genotype AFLP7/VGIV from the environment in Europe. METHODS Samples were collected from woody debris of carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua) and olive trees (Olea europaea) in El Perelló, Tarragona, Spain. Cryptococcus species were further characterized by using URA5-RFLP, MALDI-TOF, AFLP and MLST. The antifungal susceptibility profile to amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole was determined using Sensititre Yeast One and E-test. RESULTS Cultures from one carob tree revealed the presence of ten Cryptococcus-like colonies. One colony was identified as C. gattii, and subsequent molecular characterization showed that it was an α mating-type that belonged to the rare genotype AFLP7/VGIV. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed values within the range of sensitivity described for other isolates of the same genotype and within the epidemiological cutoff values for this species. CONCLUSIONS The isolation of the rare C. gattii genotype AFLP7/VGIV in Spain is the first report in the European environment, implying the possible presence in other regions of the Mediterranean area, and underlines that clinicians must be aware for C. gattii infections in healthy individuals.
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Hagen F, Khayhan K, Theelen B, Kolecka A, Polacheck I, Sionov E, Falk R, Parnmen S, Lumbsch HT, Boekhout T. Recognition of seven species in the Cryptococcus gattii/Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. Fungal Genet Biol 2015; 78:16-48. [PMID: 25721988 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2015.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 460] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis of 11 genetic loci and results from many genotyping studies revealed significant genetic diversity with the pathogenic Cryptococcus gattii/Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. Genealogical concordance, coalescence-based, and species tree approaches supported the presence of distinct and concordant lineages within the complex. Consequently, we propose to recognize the current C. neoformans var. grubii and C. neoformans var. neoformans as separate species, and five species within C. gattii. The type strain of C. neoformans CBS132 represents a serotype AD hybrid and is replaced. The newly delimited species differ in aspects of pathogenicity, prevalence for patient groups, as well as biochemical and physiological aspects, such as susceptibility to antifungals. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry readily distinguishes the newly recognized species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferry Hagen
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kantarawee Khayhan
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Bart Theelen
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Kolecka
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Itzhack Polacheck
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Edward Sionov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Food Quality & Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Rama Falk
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel; Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nir-David, Israel
| | - Sittiporn Parnmen
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | | | - Teun Boekhout
- CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Basidiomycete and Yeast Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Brito-Santos F, Barbosa GG, Trilles L, Nishikawa MM, Wanke B, Meyer W, Carvalho-Costa FA, Lazéra MDS. Environmental isolation of Cryptococcus gattii VGII from indoor dust from typical wooden houses in the deep Amazonas of the Rio Negro basin. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0115866. [PMID: 25688971 PMCID: PMC4331552 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a human fungal infection of significant mortality and morbidity, especially in the meningoencephalitis form. Cryptococcosis is distributed worldwide and its agents, C. neoformans and C. gattii, present eight major molecular types-VNI-VNIV and VGI-VGIV respectively. The primary cryptococcosis caused by molecular type VGII (serotype B, MAT alpha) prevails in immunocompetent patients in the North and Northeast of Brazil, revealing an endemic regional pattern to this molecular type. Since 1999, C. gattii VGII has been involved in an ongoing outbreak in Canada, and is expanding to the Northwest of the United States, two temperate regions. Exposure to propagules dispersed in the environment, related to various organic substrates, mainly decomposing wood in and around dwellings, initiates the infection process. The present study investigated the presence of the agents of cryptococcosis in dust from dwellings in the upper Rio Negro, municipality of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro in Amazonas state. Indoor dust was collected from 51 houses, diluted and plated on bird seed agar. Dark brown colonies were identified phenotypically, and genotypically by URA5 restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The mating type was identified using pheromone-specific primers. Three of the 51 houses were positive for C. gattii molecular type VGII, MATα and MATa, showing a high prevalence of this agent. MLST studies identified eight subtypes, VGIIb (ST7), VGIIa (ST20), (ST5) and 5 new subtypes unique to the region. For the first time in the state of Amazonas, C. gattii VGII MATα and MATa were isolated from the environment and correlates with endemic cryptococcosis in this state. This is the first description of MLST subtypes on environmental isolates in the Brazilian Amazon, indicating domiciliary dust as a potential source for human infection with different subtypes of C. gattii VGII MATα and MATa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio Brito-Santos
- Mycology Laboratory, Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Luciana Trilles
- Mycology Laboratory, Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Bodo Wanke
- Mycology Laboratory, Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Mycology Laboratory, Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Márcia dos Santos Lazéra
- Mycology Laboratory, Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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226
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Coccidioidomycosis and other systemic mycoses of marine mammals stranding along the central California, USA coast: 1998-2012. J Wildl Dis 2015; 51:295-308. [PMID: 25647598 DOI: 10.7589/2014-06-143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A wide range of systemic mycoses have been reported from captive and wild marine mammals from North America. Examples include regionally endemic pathogens such as Coccidioides and Blastomyces spp., and novel pathogens like Cryptococcus gattii, which appear may have been introduced to North America by humans. Stranding and necropsy data were analyzed from three marine mammal stranding and response facilities on the central California coast to assess the prevalence, host demographics, and lesion distribution of systemic mycoses affecting locally endemic marine mammals. Between 1 January 1998 and 30 June 2012, >7,000 stranded marine mammals were necropsied at the three facilities. Necropsy and histopathology records were reviewed to identify cases of locally invasive or systemic mycoses and determine the nature and distribution of fungal lesions. Forty-one animals (0.6%) exhibited cytological, culture- or histologically confirmed locally invasive or systemic mycoses: 36 had coccidioidomycosis, two had zygomycosis, two had cryptococcosis, and one was systemically infected with Scedosporium apiospermum (an Ascomycota). Infected animals included 18 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), 20 southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis), two Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi), one Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli), and one northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). Coccidioidomycosis was reported from 15 sea lions, 20 sea otters, and one harbor seal, confirming that Coccidioides spp. is the most common pathogen causing systemic mycosis in marine mammals stranding along the central California coast. We also report the first confirmation of C. gattii infection in a wild marine mammal from California and the first report of coccidioidomycosis in a wild harbor seal. Awareness of these pathogenic fungi during clinical care and postmortem examination is an important part of marine mammal population health surveillance and human health protection. Temporal-spatial overlap may be observed for pathogenic mycoses infecting coastal marine mammals and adjacent human populations.
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227
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Cogliati M, D'Amicis R, Tortorano A. Cryptococcus gattii sero-mating type allelic pattern determined by multiplex PCR. Clin Microbiol Infect 2015; 21:190.e1-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Revised: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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228
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Next generation multilocus sequence typing (NGMLST) and the analytical software program MLSTEZ enable efficient, cost-effective, high-throughput, multilocus sequencing typing. Fungal Genet Biol 2015; 75:64-71. [PMID: 25624069 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2015.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has become the preferred method for genotyping many biological species, and it is especially useful for analyzing haploid eukaryotes. MLST is rigorous, reproducible, and informative, and MLST genotyping has been shown to identify major phylogenetic clades, molecular groups, or subpopulations of a species, as well as individual strains or clones. MLST molecular types often correlate with important phenotypes. Conventional MLST involves the extraction of genomic DNA and the amplification by PCR of several conserved, unlinked gene sequences from a sample of isolates of the taxon under investigation. In some cases, as few as three loci are sufficient to yield definitive results. The amplicons are sequenced, aligned, and compared by phylogenetic methods to distinguish statistically significant differences among individuals and clades. Although MLST is simpler, faster, and less expensive than whole genome sequencing, it is more costly and time-consuming than less reliable genotyping methods (e.g. amplified fragment length polymorphisms). Here, we describe a new MLST method that uses next-generation sequencing, a multiplexing protocol, and appropriate analytical software to provide accurate, rapid, and economical MLST genotyping of 96 or more isolates in single assay. We demonstrate this methodology by genotyping isolates of the well-characterized, human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans.
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229
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Dou H, Xu Y, Li T. Application of the DiversiLab system for tracing the source of the mixed infections caused byCryptococcus neoformansvar.grubiifrom a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Mycoses 2015; 58:149-59. [PMID: 25591136 DOI: 10.1111/myc.12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hongtao Dou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory; Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Peking Union Medical College; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Yingchun Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory; Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Peking Union Medical College; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Taisheng Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases; Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Peking Union Medical College; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Beijing China
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230
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Umeyama T, Ohno H, Minamoto F, Takagi T, Tanamachi C, Tanabe K, Kaneko Y, Yamagoe S, Kishi K, Fujii T, Takemura H, Watanabe H, Miyazaki Y. Determination of epidemiology of clinically isolated Cryptococcus neoformans strains in Japan by multilocus sequence typing. Jpn J Infect Dis 2015; 66:51-5. [PMID: 23429086 DOI: 10.7883/yoken.66.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are the causative agents of cryptococcosis. Despite its importance, our knowledge of the epidemiology of cryptococcosis in Japan remains limited. To establish an epidemiological database on cryptococcosis in Japan, we determined the genetic variability of 44 Japanese clinical isolates of C. neoformans (var. grubii: serotype A) by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The strains were clinically isolated from 1992 to 2011 in 5 different areas of Japan (the Hokkaido region [n = 1], Kanto region [n = 32], Chubu region [n = 1], Kansai region [n = 1], and Kyushu region [n = 9]). According to the method recommended by the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology cryptococcal genotyping working group, 36 isolates (82%) were identified as sequence type (ST)46. The remaining strains belonged to ST45 (n = 1) and ST47 (n = 1), and 6 isolates belonged to novel independent STs. There was little geographic difference in the ST population. Our present data are still limited; however, because most clinical isolates showed the same MLST profile in Japan, applying the current MLST scheme for Cryptococcus may at times be insufficient for investigating the infection route among outbreak cases. To solve this problem, it may be necessary to investigate other gene loci or develop a novel method with greater discriminatory power. However, in cases in which a strain belongs to a minor ST, our data may serve as useful epidemiological information in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Umeyama
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
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231
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Cryptococcosis. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF FUNGAL INFECTIONS 2015. [PMCID: PMC7122569 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-13090-3_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is an infectious disease caused by the encapsulated fungi Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Once a relatively uncommon cause of human disease, cryptococcal infection can develop in apparently immunocompetent hosts and has emerged as an important opportunistic infection in humans over the past several decades as immunocompromised populations expand in the setting of HIV/AIDS, organ transplantation, malignancies, and treatment for other conditions. Clinical manifestations are myriad but pulmonary and central nervous system (CNS) infections are the most common. Improvements in diagnostic testing and standardized approaches to antifungal therapy, when available, have made considerable impact in the management of this infection. While the widespread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has improved the outcome of cryptococcosis in many HIV-infected patients, cryptococcosis remains an entity of considerable morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world, and restoration of host immunity can present management challenges that require individualized management. As immunocompromised populations continue to expand, it is likely that cryptococcosis will remain an important opportunistic fungal infection of humans requiring ongoing investigation.
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232
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Meyer W, Maszewska K, Khan A, Ferreira-Paim K. The Westmead Medical Mycology Collection: basis for research and diagnosis of fungal diseases. MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/ma15021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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233
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Firacative C, Ferreira-Paim K, Trilles L, Engelthaler DM, Meyer W. Australia in the global picture of the molecular epidemiology of Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII. MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/ma15023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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234
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DeBess E, Lockhart SR, Iqbal N, Cieslak PR. Isolation of Cryptococcus gattii from Oregon soil and tree bark, 2010-2011. BMC Microbiol 2014; 14:323. [PMID: 25528464 PMCID: PMC4302699 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-014-0323-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Oregon, human and animal infections by C. gattii were first identified in 2004. Cryptococcus gattii is considered to be an emerging non-zoonotic infection affecting animals and humans in Oregon. We report a longitudinal environmental isolation of C. gattii after an Oregon dog was diagnosed with the disease in 2009. Results Cryptococcus gattii was isolated twice from the same location with a span of one year between isolation dates. Cryptococcus gattii molecular types VGIIa and VGI were isolated in 2010 from soil and tree bark near the home of a 9-month-old dog which three months previously had an infection caused by C. gattii genotype VGIIa. The environment featured heavy growth of Douglas Fir trees. In 2011, a second set of soil and tree bark samples was collected in the same area and C. gattii VGIIa was again identified from the environment, along with genotypes VGIIb and VGIIc. Conclusions The use of animal surveillance data to identify environmental niches of C. gattii should be considered to expand the understanding of this emerging pathogen. Understanding the ecology and how the environment and other factors might modify the existing niches is important for assessing risk and for designing measures to protect human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio DeBess
- Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division, 800 NE Oregon St., #772, Portland, OR, 97232, USA.
| | - Shawn R Lockhart
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30330, USA.
| | - Naureen Iqbal
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30330, USA.
| | - Paul R Cieslak
- Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division, 800 NE Oregon St., #772, Portland, OR, 97232, USA.
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235
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Teixeira MDM, Theodoro RC, Oliveira FFMD, Machado GC, Hahn RC, Bagagli E, San-Blas G, Soares Felipe MS. Paracoccidioides lutzii sp. nov.: biological and clinical implications. Med Mycol 2014; 52:19-28. [PMID: 23768243 DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2013.794311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Paracoccidioides lutzii, formerly known as 'Pb01-like' strains in the P. brasiliensis complex, is proposed as a new species based on phylogenetic and comparative genomics data, recombination analysis, and morphological characteristics. Conidia of P. lutzii are elongated, different from those of P. brasiliensis. P. lutzii occurs in the central and northern regions of Brazil. Studies comparing P. brasiliensis and P. lutzii may have significant clinical consequences for the diagnosis and treatment of paracoccidioidomycosis.
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236
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Dou HT, Xu YC, Wang HZ, Li TS. Molecular epidemiology of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in China between 2007 and 2013 using multilocus sequence typing and the DiversiLab system. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2014; 34:753-62. [PMID: 25471194 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-014-2289-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular characteristics of 83 clinical Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complex isolated in Beijing, China, between 2007 and 2013. Restriction fragment length polymorphism of the gene URA5 (URA5-RFLP), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and automated repetitive polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR; DiversiLab system) were performed to genotype these cryptococcal isolates. There was an excellent correlation amongst the three methods; however, PU157 was assigned as VNII according to URA5-RFLP, while it was classified as VNI by the DiversiLab system analysis. PU157 was finally identified as VNB by seven-locus MLST analysis. Moreover, though AD hybrids could not be processed by MLST, ideal results could be obtained by the DiversiLab system. The genotype VNI accounted for 95.2% (79/83) of isolates. Besides one strain of VNB, VNIII, and VGI each, a strain of VGII was detected in our study, which was isolated from a patient from the temperate region in North China. In addition, the most common MLST sequence type (ST) was ST5, accounting for 91.6% (76/83), followed by ST31, ST63, ST182, ST295, ST296, and ST332. ST295, ST296, and ST332 were new STs. Except for isolate PU157 (VNB), identical results were obtained quickly and accurately through the DiversiLab system compared to MLST and URA5-RFLP. The discovery of VNB and VGII in the temperate climate regions of China suggested that the population structure of C. neoformans and C. gattii should be explored more extensively. Our results also showed that the DiversiLab system can be used in the genotyping of C. neoformans and C. gattii.
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Affiliation(s)
- H-T Dou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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237
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Lizarazo J, Escandón P, Agudelo CI, Firacative C, Meyer W, Castañeda E. Retrospective study of the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of Cryptococcus gattii infections in Colombia from 1997-2011. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3272. [PMID: 25411779 PMCID: PMC4238989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus gattii is endemic in various parts of the world, affecting mostly immunocompetent patients. A national surveillance study of cryptococcosis, including demographical, clinical and microbiological data, has been ongoing since 1997 in Colombia, to provide insights into the epidemiology of this mycosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS From 1,209 surveys analyzed between 1997-2011, 45 cases caused by C. gattii were reported (prevalence 3.7%; annual incidence 0.07 cases/million inhabitants/year). Norte de Santander had the highest incidence (0.81 cases/million/year), representing 33.3% of all cases. The male: female ratio was 3.3∶1. Mean age at diagnosis was 41±16 years. No specific risk factors were identified in 91.1% of patients. HIV infection was reported in 6.7% of patients, autoimmune disease and steroids use in 2.2%. Clinical features included headache (80.5%), nausea/vomiting (56.1%) and neurological derangements (48.8%). Chest radiographs were taken in 21 (46.7%) cases, with abnormal findings in 7 (33.3%). Cranial CT scans were obtained in 15 (33.3%) cases, with abnormalities detected in 10 (66.7%). Treatment was well documented in 30 cases, with most receiving amphotericin B. Direct sample examination was positive in 97.7% cases. Antigen detection was positive for all CSF specimens and for 75% of serum samples. C. gattii was recovered from CSF (93.3%) and respiratory specimens (6.6%). Serotype was determined in 42 isolates; 36 isolates were serotype B (85.7%), while 6 were C (14.3%). The breakdowns of molecular types were VGII (55.6%), VGIII (31.1%) and VGI (13.3%). Among 44 strains, 16 MLST sequence types (ST) were identified, 11 of them newly reported. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The results of this passive surveillance study demonstrate that cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii has a low prevalence in Colombia, with the exception of Norte de Santander. The predominance of molecular type VGII is of concern considering its association with high virulence and the potential to evolve into outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jairo Lizarazo
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario Erasmo Meoz, Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia
| | | | | | - Carolina Firacative
- Microbiology Group, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School – Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School – Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
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238
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Insights on the genotype distribution among Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii Portuguese clinical isolates. Curr Microbiol 2014; 68:199-203. [PMID: 24077953 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-013-0452-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive picture of the C. neoformans/C. gattii molecular types most often associated with human cryptococcosis in Portugal and assesses the impact of C. gattii in these infections. One hundred and twenty-two clinical isolates, from distinct patients, were identified as C. neoformans and genotyped by URA5-RFLP, with the molecular types VNI (45.5 %) and VNIII (30.9 %) being the most commonly found ones. The molecular types VNII (11.4 %) and VNIV (11.4 %) were less abundant. One patient was found to be infected with a VGII isolate. This patient exhibited unusual clinical symptoms of cryptococcosis, reinforcing the suspicion for the presence of a different genotypic pattern, as determined afterwards. This case was detected in 2007 and is the first report of a potential autochthonous C. gattii infection case in Portugal, as the patient revealed no historical record of travelling outside the country.
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Springer DJ, Billmyre RB, Filler EE, Voelz K, Pursall R, Mieczkowski PA, Larsen RA, Dietrich FS, May RC, Filler SG, Heitman J. Cryptococcus gattii VGIII isolates causing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California: identification of the local environmental source as arboreal. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004285. [PMID: 25144534 PMCID: PMC4140843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ongoing Cryptococcus gattii outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada illustrate the impact of environmental reservoirs and both clonal and recombining propagation in driving emergence and expansion of microbial pathogens. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV, with no evidence of nuclear genetic exchange, indicating these represent distinct species. C. gattii VGII isolates are causing the Pacific Northwest outbreak, whereas VGIII isolates frequently infect HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals in the Western US, suggesting these molecular types occur in the environment. However, only two environmental isolates of C. gattii have ever been reported from California: CBS7750 (VGII) and WM161 (VGIII). The incongruence of frequent clinical presence and uncommon environmental isolation suggests an unknown C. gattii reservoir in California. Here we report frequent isolation of C. gattii VGIII MATα and MATa isolates and infrequent isolation of VGI MATα from environmental sources in Southern California. VGIII isolates were obtained from soil debris associated with tree species not previously reported as hosts from sites near residences of infected patients. These isolates are fertile under laboratory conditions, produce abundant spores, and are part of both locally and more distantly recombining populations. MLST and whole genome sequence analysis provide compelling evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections. Isolates displayed wide-ranging virulence in macrophage and animal models. When clinical and environmental isolates with indistinguishable MLST profiles were compared, environmental isolates were less virulent. Taken together, our studies reveal an environmental source and risk of C. gattii to HIV/AIDS patients with implications for the >1,000,000 cryptococcal infections occurring annually for which the causative isolate is rarely assigned species status. Thus, the C. gattii global health burden could be more substantial than currently appreciated. The environmentally-acquired human pathogen C. gattii is responsible for ongoing and expanding outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV. Molecular types VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals throughout the Western US. The Pacific Northwest and Canadian outbreak is primarily caused by C. gattii VGII. VGIII is responsible for ongoing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. However, only two environmental C. gattii isolates have ever been identified from the Californian environment: CBS7750 (VGII) and WM161 (VGIII). We sought to collect environmental samples from areas that had confirmed reports of clinical or veterinary infections. Here we report the isolation of C. gattii VGI and VGIII from environmental soil and tree samples. C. gattii isolates were obtained from three novel tree species: Canary Island pine, American sweetgum, and a Pohutukawa tree. Genetic analysis provides robust evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah J. Springer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJS); (JH)
| | - R. Blake Billmyre
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elan E. Filler
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Kerstin Voelz
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute of Health Research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rhiannon Pursall
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Piotr A. Mieczkowski
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Larsen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Fred S. Dietrich
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robin C. May
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute of Health Research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Scott G. Filler
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJS); (JH)
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Firacative C, Duan S, Meyer W. Galleria mellonella model identifies highly virulent strains among all major molecular types of Cryptococcus gattii. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105076. [PMID: 25133687 PMCID: PMC4136835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. However, the number of cases due to C. gattii is increasing, affecting mainly immunocompetent hosts. C. gattii is divided into four major molecular types, VGI to VGIV, which differ in their host range, epidemiology, antifungal susceptibility and geographic distribution. Besides studies on the Vancouver Island outbreak strains, which showed that the subtype VGIIa is highly virulent compared to the subtype VGIIb, little is known about the virulence of the other major molecular types. To elucidate the virulence potential of the major molecular types of C. gattii, Galleria mellonella larvae were inoculated with ten globally selected strains per molecular type. Survival rates were recorded and known virulence factors were studied. One VGII, one VGIII and one VGIV strain were more virulent (p <0.05) than the highly virulent Vancouver Island outbreak strain VGIIa (CDCR265), 11 (four VGI, two VGII, four VGIII and one VGIV) had similar virulence (p >0.05), 21 (five VGI, five VGII, four VGIII and seven VGIV) were less virulent (p <0.05) while one strain of each molecular type were avirulent. Cell and capsule size of all strains increased markedly during larvae infection (p <0.001). No differences in growth rate at 37°C were observed. Melanin synthesis was directly related with the level of virulence: more virulent strains produced more melanin than less virulent strains (p <0.05). The results indicate that all C. gattii major molecular types exhibit a range of virulence, with some strains having the potential to be more virulent. The study highlights the necessity to further investigate the genetic background of more and less virulent strains in order to recognize critical features, other than the known virulence factors (capsule, melanin and growth at mammalian body temperature), that maybe crucial for the development and progression of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Firacative
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School – Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
- Grupo de Microbiología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Shuyao Duan
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School – Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School – Westmead Hospital, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
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241
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Heitman J, Carter DA, Dyer PS, Soll DR. Sexual reproduction of human fungal pathogens. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2014; 4:4/8/a019281. [PMID: 25085958 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a019281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We review here recent advances in our understanding of sexual reproduction in fungal pathogens that commonly infect humans, including Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii, and Aspergillus fumigatus. Where appropriate or relevant, we introduce findings on other species associated with human infections. In particular, we focus on rapid advances involving genetic, genomic, and population genetic approaches that have reshaped our view of how fungal pathogens evolve. Rather than being asexual, mitotic, and largely clonal, as was thought to be prevalent as recently as a decade ago, we now appreciate that the vast majority of pathogenic fungi have retained extant sexual, or parasexual, cycles. In some examples, sexual and parasexual unions of pathogenic fungi involve closely related individuals, generating diversity in the population but with more restricted recombination than expected from fertile, sexual, outcrossing and recombining populations. In other cases, species and isolates participate in global outcrossing populations with the capacity for considerable levels of gene flow. These findings illustrate general principles of eukaryotic pathogen emergence with relevance for other fungi, parasitic eukaryotic pathogens, and both unicellular and multicellular eukaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Dee A Carter
- School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Paul S Dyer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - David R Soll
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
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Danesi P, Firacative C, Cogliati M, Otranto D, Capelli G, Meyer W. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and M13 PCR fingerprinting revealed heterogeneity amongstCryptococcusspecies obtained from Italian veterinary isolates. FEMS Yeast Res 2014; 14:897-909. [DOI: 10.1111/1567-1364.12178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Danesi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie; Legnaro Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Carolina Firacative
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory; Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology; Sydney Medical School - Westmead Hospital; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity; The University of Sydney; Westmead Millennium Institute; Sydney NSW Australia
- Grupo de Microbiología; Instituto Nacional de Salud; Bogotá Colombia
| | - Massimo Cogliati
- Laboratorio di Micologia Medica; Istituto di Igiene e Medicina Preventiva; University of Milan; Milan Italy
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine; University of Bari; Bari Italy
| | - Gioia Capelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie; Legnaro Italy
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory; Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology; Sydney Medical School - Westmead Hospital; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity; The University of Sydney; Westmead Millennium Institute; Sydney NSW Australia
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Serology of paracoccidioidomycosis due to Paracoccidioides lutzii. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2986. [PMID: 25032829 PMCID: PMC4102441 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Paracoccidioides lutzii is a new agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) and has its epicenter localized to the Central-West region of Brazil. Serological diagnosis of PCM caused by P. lutzii has not been established. This study aimed to develop new antigenic preparations from P. lutzii and to apply them in serological techniques to improve the diagnosis of PCM due to P. lutzii. Paracoccidioides lutzii exoantigens, cell free antigen (CFA), and a TCA-precipitated antigen were evaluated in immunodiffusion (ID) tests using a total of 89 patient sera from the Central-West region of Brazil. Seventy-two sera were defined as reactive for P. brasiliensis using traditional antigens (AgPbB339 and gp43). Non-reactive sera for traditional antigens (n = 17) were tested with different P. lutzii preparations and P. lutzii CFA showed 100% reactivity. ELISA was found to be a very useful test to titer anti-P. lutzii antibodies using P. lutzii-CFA preparations. Sera from patients with PCM due to P. lutzii presented with higher antibody titers than PCM due to P. brasiliensis and heterologous sera. In western blot, sera from patients with PCM due to P. lutzii were able to recognize antigenic molecules from the P. lutzii-CFA antigen, but sera from patients with PCM due to P. brasiliensis could not recognize any P. lutzii molecules. Due to the facility of preparing P. lutzii CFA antigens we recommend its use in immunodiffusion tests for the diagnosis of PCM due to P. lutzii. ELISA and western blot can be used as complementary tests.
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244
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Cryptococcus gattii in North American Pacific Northwest: whole-population genome analysis provides insights into species evolution and dispersal. mBio 2014; 5:e01464-14. [PMID: 25028429 PMCID: PMC4161256 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01464-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of distinct populations of Cryptococcus gattii in the temperate North American Pacific Northwest (PNW) was surprising, as this species was previously thought to be confined to tropical and semitropical regions. Beyond a new habitat niche, the dominant emergent population displayed increased virulence and caused primary pulmonary disease, as opposed to the predominantly neurologic disease seen previously elsewhere. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 118 C. gattii isolates, including the PNW subtypes and the global diversity of molecular type VGII, to better ascertain the natural source and genomic adaptations leading to the emergence of infection in the PNW. Overall, the VGII population was highly diverse, demonstrating large numbers of mutational and recombinational events; however, the three dominant subtypes from the PNW were of low diversity and were completely clonal. Although strains of VGII were found on at least five continents, all genetic subpopulations were represented or were most closely related to strains from South America. The phylogenetic data are consistent with multiple dispersal events from South America to North America and elsewhere. Numerous gene content differences were identified between the emergent clones and other VGII lineages, including genes potentially related to habitat adaptation, virulence, and pathology. Evidence was also found for possible gene introgression from Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii that is rarely seen in global C. gattii but that was present in all PNW populations. These findings provide greater understanding of C. gattii evolution in North America and support extensive evolution in, and dispersal from, South America. Cryptococcus gattii emerged in the temperate North American Pacific Northwest (PNW) in the late 1990s. Beyond a new environmental niche, these emergent populations displayed increased virulence and resulted in a different pattern of clinical disease. In particular, severe pulmonary infections predominated in contrast to presentation with neurologic disease as seen previously elsewhere. We employed population-level whole-genome sequencing and analysis to explore the genetic relationships and gene content of the PNW C. gattii populations. We provide evidence that the PNW strains originated from South America and identified numerous genes potentially related to habitat adaptation, virulence expression, and clinical presentation. Characterization of these genetic features may lead to improved diagnostics and therapies for such fungal infections. The data indicate that there were multiple recent introductions of C. gattii into the PNW. Public health vigilance is warranted for emergence in regions where C. gattii is not thought to be endemic.
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Molecular characterization of Cryptococcus gattii genotype AFLP6/VGII isolated from woody debris of divi-divi (Caesalpinia coriaria), Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean. Rev Iberoam Micol 2014; 31:193-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2013.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Revised: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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Favalessa OC, Lázera MDS, Wanke B, Trilles L, Takahara DT, Tadano T, Dias LB, Vieira AC, Novack GV, Hahn RC. FatalCryptococcus gattiigenotype AFLP6/VGII infection in a HIV-negative patient: case report and a literature review. Mycoses 2014; 57:639-43. [DOI: 10.1111/myc.12210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Cometti Favalessa
- Laboratório de Micologia; Faculdade de Medicina; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | | | - Bodo Wanke
- IPEC - Laboratório de Micologia; FIOCRUZ; Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil
| | - Luciana Trilles
- IPEC - Laboratório de Micologia; FIOCRUZ; Rio de Janeiro RJ Brazil
| | - Doracilde Terumi Takahara
- Laboratório de Micologia; Faculdade de Medicina; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | - Tomoko Tadano
- Hospital Universitário Júlio Müller; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | - Luciana Basili Dias
- Laboratório de Micologia; Faculdade de Medicina; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | - Ananda Castro Vieira
- Hospital Universitário Júlio Müller; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | - Glaúcia Vanessa Novack
- Hospital Universitário Júlio Müller; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | - Rosane Christine Hahn
- Laboratório de Micologia; Faculdade de Medicina; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
- Hospital Universitário Júlio Müller; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá MT Brazil
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Ferrets as sentinels of the presence of pathogenic Cryptococcus species in the Mediterranean environment. Mycopathologia 2014; 178:145-51. [PMID: 24962111 PMCID: PMC7089463 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-014-9773-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii is a pathogenic environmental yeast that is considered to be emerging in different areas of the world including the Mediterranean Basin. Exposure to infection might be more likely in animals than in human beings, given their closer relationship with the natural habitat of the yeast, vegetation and soil. Thus, animals, and especially pets, can act as indicators of the presence of this yeast in a determined area. Domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) have become common pets in the past 10-20 years. Their natural behavior of sniffing around and going inside narrow spaces makes them prone to contact with decaying organic matter and soil, the substrate for Cryptococcus species. This study describes two cases of cryptococcosis in ferrets in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands and documents a relationship of ferret cryptococcosis with environmental isolates in the same locations. Here, we emphasize the importance of how an adequate identification and environmental search of the yeast leads to a better understanding of the epidemiology of cryptococcosis and suggests ferrets may act as sentinels for this fungal disease.
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248
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Molecular typing of clinical Cryptococcus neoformans isolates collected in Germany from 2004 to 2010. Med Microbiol Immunol 2014; 203:333-40. [DOI: 10.1007/s00430-014-0341-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Kelley EJ, Driebe EM, Etienne K, Brandt ME, Schupp JM, Gillece JD, Trujillo JS, Lockhart SR, Deak E, Keim PS, Engelthaler DM. Real-time PCR assays for genotyping of Cryptococcus gattii in North America. BMC Microbiol 2014; 14:125. [PMID: 24886039 PMCID: PMC4032356 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-14-125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cryptococcus gattii has been the cause of an ongoing outbreak starting in 1999 on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and spreading to mainland Canada and the US Pacific Northwest. In the course of the outbreak, C. gattii has been identified outside of its previously documented climate, habitat, and host disease. Genotyping of C. gattii is essential to understand the ecological and geographical expansion of this emerging pathogen. Methods We developed and validated a mismatch amplification mutation assay (MAMA) real-time PCR panel for genotyping C. gattii molecular types VGI-VGIV and VGII subtypes a,b,c. Subtype assays were designed based on whole-genome sequence of 20 C. gattii strains. Publically available multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data from a study of 202 strains was used for the molecular type (VGI-VGIV) assay design. All assays were validated across DNA from 112 strains of diverse international origin and sample types, including animal, environmental and human. Results Validation revealed each assay on the panel is 100% sensitive, specific and concordant with MLST. The assay panel can detect down to 0.5 picograms of template DNA. Conclusions The (MAMA) real-time PCR panel for C. gattii accurately typed a collection of 112 diverse strains and demonstrated high sensitivity. This is a time and cost efficient method of genotyping C. gattii best suited for application in large-scale epidemiological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin J Kelley
- The Translational Genomics Research Institute, 3051 W, Shamrell Blvd, Ste, 106, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA.
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Short DPG, O'Donnell K, Geiser DM. Clonality, recombination, and hybridization in the plumbing-inhabiting human pathogen Fusarium keratoplasticum inferred from multilocus sequence typing. BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:91. [PMID: 24766947 PMCID: PMC4026394 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-14-91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recent work has shown that Fusarium species and genotypes most commonly associated with human infections, particularly of the cornea (mycotic keratitis), are the same as those most commonly isolated from plumbing systems. The species most dominant in plumbing biofilms is Fusarium keratoplasticum, a cosmopolitan fungus known almost exclusively from animal infections and biofilms. To better understand its diversity and population dynamics, we developed and utilized a nine-locus sequence-based typing system to make inferences about clonality, recombination, population structure, species boundaries and hybridization. Results High levels of genetic diversity and evidence for recombination and clonality were detected among 75 clinical and 156 environmental isolates of Fusarium keratoplasticum. The multilocus sequence typing system (MLST) resolved 111 unique nine-locus sequence types (STs). The single locus bifactorial determinants of mating compatibility (mating types MAT1-1 and MAT1-2), were found in a ratio of 70:30. All but one of the 49 isolates of the most common ST (FSSC 2d-2) came from human infections, mostly of the cornea, and from biofilms associated with contact lenses and plumbing surfaces. Significant levels of phylogenetic incongruence were found among loci. Putative clonal relationships among genotypes were estimated, showing a mixture of large clonal complexes and unrelated singletons. Discordance between the nuclear ribosomal rRNA and other gene genealogies is consistent with introgression of ribosomal RNA alleles of phylogenetic species FSSC 9 into F. keratoplasticum. No significant population subdivision based on clinical versus non-clinical sources was found. Conclusions Incongruent phylogenetic trees and the presence of both mating types within otherwise identical STs were observed, providing evidence for sexuality in F. keratoplasticum. Cryptic speciation suggested in a published three-locus MLST system was not supported with the addition of new loci, but evidence of introgression of ribosomal RNA genes from another strongly supported phylogenetic species (FSSC 9), also known from plumbing systems and human infections, was detected in two isolates. Overall, F. keratoplasticum is a diverse and geographically unstructured species with a mixed clonal and recombinant life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan P G Short
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, 1636 E Alisal St,, Salinas, CA 93905, USA.
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