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Morales-López S, Macías L, Elles D, Yepes J. Unusual plant-extract based media for the differentiation between species in the Candida albicans complex: A comparative study. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2024; 96:e20230420. [PMID: 39166546 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420230420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is the most common agent in human fungal infections; nevertheless, in the last decades, the closely related yeasts Candida dubliniensis and Candida africana have emerged as pathogens. The purpose of this study was to compare tobacco agar with another five agars prepared from plant extracts (Origanum vulgare, Rosmarinus officinalis, Solanum rudepannum, Solanum oblongifolium and Brugmansia arborea) on the differentiation of C. albicans complex. The hyphae and chlamyconidia formation and the color and margin of the colonies of 200 clinical isolates of C. albicans, C. dubliniensis and C. africana were evaluated. After seven days of incubation at 28 °C, Tobacco agar, S. rudepannum and B. arborea agars allowed the differentiation of 100 % C. dubliniensis. Additionally, 24% of C. africana isolates produced brownish colonies in the medium prepared from Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract. These results indicate that S. rudepannun, B. arborea and rosemary agar could be used as screening for the phenotypic differentiation between the species of C. albicans complex. Rosemary agar could be used to aid in the differentiation of C. albicans from C. africana. These culture media based on plants, could be used as simple and inexpensive screening methods in the phenotypic differentiation of C. dubliniensis and C. africana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Morales-López
- Laboratorios Nancy Flórez García S.A.S., 200001, Valledupar, Colombia
- Universidad Popular del Cesar, Grupo CINBIOS, Programa de Microbiología, Avenida Sabanas, 20004, Valledupar, Colombia
| | - Lisahidy Macías
- Universidad Popular del Cesar, Grupo CINBIOS, Programa de Microbiología, Avenida Sabanas, 20004, Valledupar, Colombia
| | - Danna Elles
- Universidad Popular del Cesar, Grupo CINBIOS, Programa de Microbiología, Avenida Sabanas, 20004, Valledupar, Colombia
| | - Jayr Yepes
- Universidad Popular del Cesar, Grupo CINBIOS, Programa de Microbiología, Avenida Sabanas, 20004, Valledupar, Colombia
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Kosmala D, Sertour N, Fróis Martins R, Spaggiari L, Ardizzoni A, LeibundGut-Landmann S, Pericolini E, Bougnoux ME, d'Enfert C, Legrand M. The pathogenic and colonization potential of Candida africana. Microbes Infect 2024; 26:105230. [PMID: 37734535 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2023.105230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The Candida albicans population displays high genetic diversity illustrated by 18-well differentiated genetic clusters. Cluster 13, also known as Candida africana, is an outlying cluster and includes strains first described as atypical C. albicans isolates of vaginal origin, showing apparent tropism for the female genital tract. In our study, we combined in vitro, and in vivo models to explore the colonization and pathogenic potential of C. africana. We report that C. africana has similar fitness to C. albicans when it comes to colonization of the oral and vaginal mucosa, however it has decreased fitness in gastro-intestinal colonization and systemic infection. Interestingly, despite high population homogeneity, our in vitro data highlighted for the first time a variability in terms of growth rate, biofilm formation and filamentation properties between C. africana strains. Overall, our data lays the foundations for exploring specific features of C. africana that might contribute to its apparent niche restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Kosmala
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAE USC2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France
| | - Natacha Sertour
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAE USC2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France
| | - Ricardo Fróis Martins
- Section of Immunology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Luca Spaggiari
- Clinical and Experimental Medicine Ph.D. Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Andrea Ardizzoni
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest in Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann
- Section of Immunology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland; Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Eva Pericolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest in Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marie-Elisabeth Bougnoux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAE USC2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France; Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie Clinique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants-Malades, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Paris, France
| | - Christophe d'Enfert
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAE USC2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France.
| | - Mélanie Legrand
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAE USC2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France.
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Shokoohi G, Javidnia J, Mirhendi H, Rasekh-Jahromi A, Rezaei-Matehkolaei A, Ansari S, Maryami F, Goodarzi S, Romeo O. Molecular identification and antifungal susceptibility profiles of Candida dubliniensis and Candida africana isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis: A single-centre experience in Iran. Mycoses 2021; 64:771-779. [PMID: 33811780 PMCID: PMC8251901 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common and debilitating long‐term illness affecting million women worldwide. This disease is caused mainly by Candida albicans and a lesser extent by other species, including the two phylogenetically closely related pathogens Candida africana and Candida dubliniensis. Objectives In this study, we report detailed molecular epidemiological data about the occurrence of these two pathogenic yeasts in Iranian patients affected by VVC, or its chronic recurrent form (RVVC), and provide, for the first time, data on the antifungal activity of two new drugs, efinaconazole (EFN) and luliconazole (LUL). Methods A total of 133 vaginal yeast isolates, presumptively identified as Calbicans by phenotypic and restriction analysis of rDNA, were further analysed by using a specific molecular method targeting the HWP1 gene. All Cafricana and Cdubliniensis isolates were also tested for their in vitro susceptibility to a panel of modern and classical antifungal drugs. Results and Conclusions Based on the molecular results, among 133 germ‐tube positive isolates, we identify 119 Calbicans (89.47%), 11 Cafricana (8.27%) and 3 Cdubliniensis (2.26%) isolates. Cafricana and Cdubliniensis showed low MIC values for most of the antifungal drugs tested, especially for EFN and LUL, which exhibited a remarkable antifungal activity. High MIC values were observed only for nystatin and terbinafine. Although Calbicans remains the most common Candida species recovered from Iranian VVC/RVVC patients, our data show that its prevalence may be slightly overestimated due to the presence of difficult‐to‐identify closely related yeast, especially Cafricana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholamreza Shokoohi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.,Zoonosis Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Javad Javidnia
- Student Research Committee Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hossein Mirhendi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Athar Rasekh-Jahromi
- Department of Obstetrician and Gynecology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Saham Ansari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Faeze Maryami
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.,Zoonosis Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Sahand Goodarzi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.,Zoonosis Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Orazio Romeo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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Genomic evidence for a hybrid origin of the yeast opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. BMC Biol 2020; 18:48. [PMID: 32375762 PMCID: PMC7204223 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00776-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Opportunistic yeast pathogens of the genus Candida are an important medical problem. Candida albicans, the most prevalent Candida species, is a natural commensal of humans that can adopt a pathogenic behavior. This species is highly heterozygous and cannot undergo meiosis, adopting instead a parasexual cycle that increases genetic variability and potentially leads to advantages under stress conditions. However, the origin of C. albicans heterozygosity is unknown, and we hypothesize that it could result from ancestral hybridization. We tested this idea by analyzing available genomes of C. albicans isolates and comparing them to those of hybrid and non-hybrid strains of other Candida species. Results Our results show compelling evidence that C. albicans is an evolved hybrid. The genomic patterns observed in C. albicans are similar to those of other hybrids such as Candida orthopsilosis MCO456 and Candida inconspicua, suggesting that it also descends from a hybrid of two divergent lineages. Our analysis indicates that most of the divergence between haplotypes in C. albicans heterozygous blocks was already present in a putative heterozygous ancestor, with an estimated 2.8% divergence between homeologous chromosomes. The levels and patterns of ancestral heterozygosity found cannot be fully explained under the paradigm of vertical evolution and are not consistent with continuous gene flux arising from lineage-specific events of admixture. Conclusions Although the inferred level of sequence divergence between the putative parental lineages (2.8%) is not clearly beyond current species boundaries in Saccharomycotina, we show here that all analyzed C. albicans strains derive from a single hybrid ancestor and diverged by extensive loss of heterozygosity. This finding has important implications for our understanding of C. albicans evolution, including the loss of the sexual cycle, the origin of the association with humans, and the evolution of virulence traits.
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Pote ST, Sonawane MS, Rahi P, Shah SR, Shouche YS, Patole MS, Thakar MR, Sharma R. Distribution of Pathogenic Yeasts in Different Clinical Samples: Their Identification, Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern, and Cell Invasion Assays. Infect Drug Resist 2020; 13:1133-1145. [PMID: 32368104 PMCID: PMC7182453 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s238002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Species of genus Candida are part of the common microbiota of humans; however, some of the Candida species are known opportunistic pathogens. Formation of biofilms, resistance to antifungal drugs, and increase in asymptomatic infections demands more studies on isolation, identification and characterization of Candida from clinical samples. Methods The present manuscript deals with assessment of authentic yeast identification by three methods viz., DNA sequencing of 28S rRNA gene, protein profiles using MALDI-TOF MS, and colony coloration on chromogenic media. Antifungal susceptibility and in vitro cell invasion assays were performed to further characterize these isolates. Results Comparison of three methods showed that DNA sequence analysis correctly identified more than 99.4% of the isolates up to species level as compared to 89% by MALDI-TOF MS. In this study, we isolated a total of 176 yeasts from clinical samples and preliminary morphological characters indicated that these yeast isolates belong to the genus Candida. The species distribution of isolates was as follows: 75 isolates of Candida albicans (42.61%), 50 of C. tropicalis (28.40%), 22 of C. glabrata (12.5%), 14 of C. parapsilosis (7.95%) and 4 of Clavispora lusitaniae (2.27%). Other species like Cyberlindnera fabianii, Issatchenkia orientalis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Kodamaea ohmeri, Lodderomyces sp., and Trichosporon asahii were less than 2%. Antifungal susceptibility assay performed with 157 isolates showed that most of the isolates were resistant to the four azoles viz., clotrimazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole, and the frequency of resistance was more in non-albicans Candida isolates. The susceptibility to azole drugs ranged from 7% to 48%, while 75% of the tested yeasts were susceptible to nystatin. Moreover, 88 isolates were also tested for their capacity to invade human cells using HeLa cells. In vitro invasion assay showed that most of the C. albicans isolates showed epithelial cell invasion as compared to isolates belonging to C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. Discussion The identification of yeasts of clinical origin by sequencing of 28S rRNA gene performed better than MALDI-TOF MS. The present study reiterates the world scenario wherein there is a shift from Candida strains to emerging opportunistic pathogens which were earlier regarded as environmental strains. The present study enlightens the current understanding of identification methods for clinical yeast isolates, increased antifungal drug resistance, epithelial cell invasion as a virulence factor, and diversity of yeasts in Indian clinical samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish T Pote
- National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, S.P. Pune University, Pune 411 007, Maharashtra, India.,National AIDS Research Institute, Pune 411026, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mahesh S Sonawane
- National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, S.P. Pune University, Pune 411 007, Maharashtra, India
| | - Praveen Rahi
- National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, S.P. Pune University, Pune 411 007, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sunil R Shah
- Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune 411043, Maharashtra, India
| | - Yogesh S Shouche
- National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, S.P. Pune University, Pune 411 007, Maharashtra, India
| | - Milind S Patole
- National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, S.P. Pune University, Pune 411 007, Maharashtra, India
| | - Madhuri R Thakar
- National AIDS Research Institute, Pune 411026, Maharashtra, India
| | - Rohit Sharma
- National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR), National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, S.P. Pune University, Pune 411 007, Maharashtra, India
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Candida africana vulvovaginitis: Prevalence and geographical distribution. J Mycol Med 2020; 30:100966. [PMID: 32317216 DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2020.100966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Candida africana has been recovered principally as a causative agent of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) from different countries, which is likely to be misidentified as the typical Candida albicans or Candida dubliniensis. The current study aimed to characterize C. albicans species complex obtained from VVC based on conventional and molecular assays. Furthermore, in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing was performed based on CLSI documents. Additionally, due to low knowledge concerning C. africana infections, we reviewed all published papers from 1991 to 2019. One hundred forty-four out of 287 patients were identified with Candida infection, among whom 151 isolates of Candida were obtained. Candida albicans 109 (72.1%), Candida glabrata 21 (13.9%), Candida krusei 8 (5.2%), Candida tropicalis 5 (3.3%), Candida africana 3 (1.9%), Candida parapsilosis 3 (1.9%) and C. dubliniensis 2 (1.3%) were isolated from patients. MIC results showed that C. africana isolates were susceptible to all tested antifungal drugs. Candida africana infections were more prevalent in Africa. One hundred fifteen (40.6%) of patients with C. africana candidiasis were from seven African countries, and Madagascar and Angola had the majority of cases. The epidemiological data, phenotypic, clinical features, ecologic similarity, and antifungal susceptibility profiles for better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms and optimal treatment underlying non-CandidaalbicansCandida vulvovaginitis are highly recommended.
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Farahyar S, Izadi S, Razmjou E, Falahati M, Roudbary M, Ashrafi-Khozani M, Ansari S, Fattahi A, Ghahri-Mobaser Z, Rahimi M. Low prevalence of antifungal resistant Candida africana, in the C. albicans complex causing vulvovaginal candidiasis. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03619. [PMID: 32215332 PMCID: PMC7090347 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The Candida (C.) albicans complex includes C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. stellatoidea, and C. africana, with the last mentioned as an important emerging agent of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). The aim of the study was to identify C. africana and C. dubliniensis and assess their drug susceptibility in vaginitis. One-hundred Candida isolates of the C. albicans complex from women diagnosed with vaginitis and from vaginal samples in the culture collection of a medical mycology laboratory were examined. Species of the C. albicans complex were identified with conventional and molecular methods using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, PCR for partial amplification of hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1) gene and duplex PCR. The effects of antifungal drugs were evaluated according to standard broth microdilution protocols. Ninety-seven C. albicans (97%) and three C. africana (3%) isolates were identified. Results of susceptibility testing revealed one isolate of C. africana to be resistant to both clotrimazole and fluconazole, and one showed reduced susceptibility to itraconazole. Identification of Candida species especially C. africana in vaginitis is crucial, there are varying levels of resistance to antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirin Farahyar
- Microbial Biotechnology Research Center (MBiRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samira Izadi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Razmjou
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehraban Falahati
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Roudbary
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahtab Ashrafi-Khozani
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saham Ansari
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azam Fattahi
- Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Rahimi
- Department of Gynecology, Shahid Akbar Abadi Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Felice MR, Giuffrè L, El Aamri L, Hafidi M, Criseo G, Romeo O, Scordino F. Looking for New Antifungal Drugs from Flavonoids: Impact of the Genetic Diversity of Candida albicans on the in-vitro Response. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:5108-5123. [PMID: 29278204 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666171226102700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In an era in which antimicrobial resistance is increasing at an alarming pace, it is very important to find new antimicrobial agents effective against pathogenic microrganisms resistant to traditional treatments. Among the notable breakthroughs in the past years of research in natural-drug discovery, there is the identification and testing of flavonoids, a group of plant-derived substances capable of promoting many beneficial effects on humans. These compounds show different biological activities such as inhibition of neuroinflammation and tumor growth as well as antimicrobial activity against many microbial pathogens. METHODS We undertook a review of protocols and standard strains used in studies reporting the inhibitory effects of flavonoids against Candida albicans by focusing our attention on genetic characterization of the strains examined. Moreover, using the C. albicans MLST-database, we performed a phylogenetic analysis showing the genetic variation occurring in this species. RESULTS Today, we have enough information to estimate genetic diversity within microbial species and recent data revealed that most of fungal pathogens show complex population structures in which not a single isolate can be designated as representative of the entire taxon. This is especially true for the highly divergent fungal pathogen C. albicans, in which the assumption that one or few "standard strains" can represent the whole species is overly unrealistic and should be laid to rest. CONCLUSION The goal of this article is to shed light on the extent of genetic variation in C. albicans and how this phenomenon can largely influence the activity of flavonoids against this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rosa Felice
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Letterio Giuffrè
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Division of Animal Production, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Lamya El Aamri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Biology, Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences, Zitoune Meknes, Morocco
| | - Majida Hafidi
- Department of Biology, Moulay Ismail University, Faculty of Sciences, Zitoune Meknes, Morocco
| | - Giuseppe Criseo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Orazio Romeo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS) - Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - Fabio Scordino
- Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS) - Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy
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Naeimi B, Mirhendi H, Khamisipour G, Sadeghzadeh F, Ahmadi B. Candida africana in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) patients: frequency and phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. J Med Microbiol 2018; 67:1601-1607. [PMID: 30248002 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Up to 75 % of all women develop vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), with symptoms such as vulvar erythema, pruritus and abnormal vaginal discharge. Despite the global distribution of Candida africana, its role in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is still unclear and requires further investigation. Here, we report on the frequency of C. africana among clinical isolates from patients with RVVC in Bushehr in southern Iran. METHODOLOGY Isolated Candida strains were identified by ITS-PCR-RFLP. Hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1) was amplified to differentiate C. africana and the resulting sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analyses with a view to identifying similarities and differences in nucleotides. RESULTS Ten out of 119 strains originally identified as C. albicans turned out to be C. africana. Pairwise nucleotide alignment of HWP1 DNA sequences showed 100 % similarity between C. africana strains. Inter-species variation between Iranian C. africana HWP1 sequences and the only three available C. africana type sequences in GenBank revealed 99.7-100 % nucleotide similarity. Phylogenetic analysis of the HWP1 DNA sequences of 10 Iranian C. africana isolates, the 3 C. africana sequences available in GenBank and 2 representative Iranian C. albicans sequences revealed that all 11 Iranian C. africana strains formed a well-supported cluster separated from the remaining C. africana. CONCLUSION In our sample, C. africana was only isolated from 7.8 % of the patients with RVVC. While size polymorphisms in HPW1 genes allowed us to differentiate C. africana from C. albicans, no evidence of sequence variation within the Iranian C. africana isolates was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behrouz Naeimi
- 1The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Hossein Mirhendi
- 2Departments of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Khamisipour
- 3Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Sadeghzadeh
- 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedical, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Bahram Ahmadi
- 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedical, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
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10
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Giosa D, Felice MR, Lawrence TJ, Gulati M, Scordino F, Giuffrè L, Lo Passo C, D'Alessandro E, Criseo G, Ardell DH, Hernday AD, Nobile CJ, Romeo O. Whole RNA-Sequencing and Transcriptome Assembly of Candida albicans and Candida africana under Chlamydospore-Inducing Conditions. Genome Biol Evol 2017; 9:1971-1977. [PMID: 28810711 PMCID: PMC5553385 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is the most common cause of life-threatening fungal infections in humans, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Crucial to its success as an opportunistic pathogen is the considerable dynamism of its genome, which readily undergoes genetic changes generating new phenotypes and shaping the evolution of new strains. Candida africana is an intriguing C. albicans biovariant strain that exhibits remarkable genetic and phenotypic differences when compared with standard C. albicans isolates. Candida africana is well-known for its low degree of virulence compared with C. albicans and for its inability to produce chlamydospores that C. albicans, characteristically, produces under certain environmental conditions. Chlamydospores are large, spherical structures, whose biological function is still unknown. For this reason, we have sequenced, assembled, and annotated the whole transcriptomes obtained from an efficient C. albicans chlamydospore-producing clinical strain (GE1), compared with the natural chlamydospore-negative C. africana clinical strain (CBS 11016). The transcriptomes of both C. albicans (GE1) and C. africana (CBS 11016) clinical strains, grown under chlamydospore-inducing conditions, were sequenced and assembled into 7,442 (GE1 strain) and 8,370 (CBS 11016 strain) high quality transcripts, respectively. The release of the first assembly of the C. africana transcriptome will allow future comparative studies to better understand the biology and evolution of this important human fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Rosa Felice
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Travis J Lawrence
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA.,Quantitative and System Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Merced, CA
| | - Megha Gulati
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA
| | | | - Letterio Giuffrè
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Division of Animal Production, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Carla Lo Passo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Enrico D'Alessandro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Division of Animal Production, University of Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Criseo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Italy
| | - David H Ardell
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA
| | - Aaron D Hernday
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA
| | - Clarissa J Nobile
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, CA
| | - Orazio Romeo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo," Messina, Italy.,Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Italy
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11
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Hazirolan G, Altun HU, Gumral R, Gursoy NC, Otlu B, Sancak B. Prevalence of Candida africana and Candida dubliniensis, in vulvovaginal candidiasis: First Turkish Candida africana isolates from vulvovaginal candidiasis. J Mycol Med 2017. [PMID: 28641919 DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2017.04.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Candida africana and C. dubliniensis are closely related species of C. albicans. Current phenotypic methods are not suitable to accurately distinguish all the species belonging to the C. albicans complex. Several molecular-based methods have recently been designed for discriminating among closely related Candida species. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of C. dubliniensis and C. africana in vulvovaginal samples with phenotypic and genotypic methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS We re-examined 376 vulvovaginal C. albicans complex isolates. All the isolates were identified with morphological features and HWP1 gene polymorphisms. ITS and D1/D2 sequencing, carbohydrate assimilation, MALDI-TOF MS profiles and antifungal susceptibilities were evaluated for C. africana and C. dubliniensis isolates. RESULTS Of the 376 isolates, three C. africana and three C. dubliniensis isolates (0.8% and 0.8% prevalence, respectively) were identified by molecular methods (HPW1, ITS and D1/D2) Phenotypically, C. africana differed from C. albicans and C. dubliniensis by formation of no/rare pseudohyphae, absence of chlamydospores and, the development of turquoise green colonies on CHROMagar. MALDI-TOF MS and API ID 32C could not revealed C. africana isolates. C. africana and C. dubliniensis isolates showed very low MIC values for all the tested antifungals. DISCUSSION This first report of C. africana from Turkey provides additional data for epidemiological, phenotypic features and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. This study also highlights the importance of using genotypic methods in combination with phenotypic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Hazirolan
- Department of microbiology, Ankara Numune training and research hospital, Ulku Mahallesi Talatpasa Bulvari No:5 Altindag, 06100 Ankara, Turkey.
| | - H U Altun
- Department of medical microbiology, Turgut Ozal university faculty of medicine, Ayvalı Mah.,Gazze Cad No:7, 06010 Etlik-Keçiören-Ankara, Turkey
| | - R Gumral
- Department of microbiology, Gulhane military medical academy, GATA, 06010 Keçiören-Ankara, Turkey
| | - N C Gursoy
- Department of microbiology, faculty of medicine, university of Inönü, 44000 Üzümlü-Malatya Merkez-Malatya, Turkey
| | - B Otlu
- Department of microbiology, faculty of medicine, university of Inönü, 44000 Üzümlü-Malatya Merkez-Malatya, Turkey
| | - B Sancak
- Department of microbiology, faculty of medicine, university of Hacettepe, Hacettepe university medicine, faculty Sıhhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
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12
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Chowdhary A, Hagen F, Sharma C, Al-Hatmi AMS, Giuffrè L, Giosa D, Fan S, Badali H, Felice MR, de Hoog S, Meis JF, Romeo O. Whole Genome-Based Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis Reveals Genetic Diversity in Candida africana. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:556. [PMID: 28421052 PMCID: PMC5377543 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the genetic diversity of a panel of Candida africana strains recovered from vaginal samples in different countries. All fungal strains were heterozygous at the mating-type-like locus and belonged to the genotype A of Candida albicans. Moreover, all examined C. africana strains lack N-acetylglucosamine assimilation and sequence analysis of the HXK1 gene showed a distinctive polymorphism that impair the utilization of this amino sugar in this yeast. Multi-locus sequencing of seven housekeeping genes revealed a substantial genetic homogeneity among the strains, except for the CaMPIb, SYA1 and VPS13 loci which contributed significantly to the classification of our set of C. africana strains into six existing diploid sequence types. Amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprint analysis yielded greater genotypic heterogeneity among the C. africana strains. Overall the data reported here show that in C. africana genetic diversity occurs and the existence of this intriguing group of C. albicans strains with specific phenotypes associated could be useful for future comparative studies in order to better understand the genetics and evolution of this important human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Chowdhary
- Department of Medical Mycology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of DelhiNew Delhi, India
| | - Ferry Hagen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina HospitalNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Cheshta Sharma
- Department of Medical Mycology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of DelhiNew Delhi, India
| | - Abdullah M S Al-Hatmi
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity InstituteUtrecht, Netherlands.,Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Ibri HospitalIbri, Oman
| | - Letterio Giuffrè
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of MessinaMessina, Italy
| | - Domenico Giosa
- Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care - Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo",Messina, Italy
| | - Shangrong Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen HospitalShenzhen, China
| | - Hamid Badali
- Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, Invasive Fungi Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical SciencesSari, Iran
| | - Maria Rosa Felice
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of MessinaMessina, Italy
| | - Sybren de Hoog
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity InstituteUtrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jacques F Meis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina HospitalNijmegen, Netherlands.,Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/Canisius-Wilhelmina ZiekenhuisNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Orazio Romeo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of MessinaMessina, Italy.,Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care - Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo",Messina, Italy
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13
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Mucci MJ, Cuestas ML, Landanburu MF, Mujica MT. Prevalence of Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis and Candida africana in pregnant women suffering from vulvovaginal candidiasis in Argentina. Rev Iberoam Micol 2017; 34:72-76. [PMID: 28385421 DOI: 10.1016/j.riam.2016.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a vulvovaginitis commonly diagnosed in gynecology care. In recent years, the taxonomy of the most important pathogenic Candida species, such as Candida albicans have undergone significant changes. AIMS This study examined the prevalence of C. albicans, Candida africana, and Candida dubliniensis in vaginal specimens from 210 pregnant women suffering from vulvovaginitis or having asymptomatic colonization. METHODS Phenotypic and molecular methods were used for the identification of the species. RESULTS During the studied period, 55 isolates of Candida or other yeasts were obtained from specimens collected from 52 patients suffering from vulvovaginitis (24.8%). C. albicans was the predominant Candida species in 42 isolates (80.7%), either alone or in combination with other species of the genus (5.7%, n=3). Additionally, nine isolates of C. albicans (50%) were obtained from asymptomatic patients (n=18). C. dubliniensis was the causative agent in 2 (3.8%) cases of VVC, and was also isolated in one asymptomatic patient. Molecular assays were carried out using specific PCR to amplify the ACT1-associated intron sequence of C. dubliniensis. The amplification of the HWP1 gene also correctly identified isolates of the species C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. No C. africana was isolated in this work. Some C. albicans isolates were either homozygous or heterozygous at the HWP1 locus. The distribution of heterozygous and homozygous C. albicans isolates at the HWP1 locus was very similar among patients suffering from VVC and asymptomatic patients (p=0.897). CONCLUSIONS The presence of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, and the absence of C. africana in pregnant is noteworthy.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Josefina Mucci
- Hospital Materno Infantil Ramón Sardá, Esteban de Luca 2151, CP 1246 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Luján Cuestas
- Instituto of Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 11, CP 1121ABG Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda Landanburu
- Instituto of Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 11, CP 1121ABG Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Teresa Mujica
- Instituto of Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, piso 11, CP 1121ABG Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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14
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Tietz HJ. [Mycoses of the skin]. MMW Fortschr Med 2017; 159:51-58. [PMID: 28097592 DOI: 10.1007/s15006-017-9032-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Jürgen Tietz
- Institut für Pilzkrankheiten, Luisenstrasse 50, D-10117, Berlin, Deutschland.
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15
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Felice MR, Gulati M, Giuffrè L, Giosa D, Di Bella LM, Criseo G, Nobile CJ, Romeo O, Scordino F. Molecular Characterization of the N-Acetylglucosamine Catabolic Genes in Candida africana, a Natural N-Acetylglucosamine Kinase (HXK1) Mutant. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147902. [PMID: 26808192 PMCID: PMC4726466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In this study we report the genetic characterization, including expression analysis, of the genes involved in the uptake (NGT1) and catabolism (HXK1/NAG5, DAC1/NAG2, NAG1) of the aminosugar N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in Candida africana, a pathogenic biovariant of Candida albicans that is naturally unable to assimilate the GlcNAc. Results DNA sequence analysis of these genes revealed a number of characteristic nucleotide substitutions including a unique and distinctive guanine insertion that shifts the reading frame and generates a premature stop codon (TGA) 154 bp downstream of the ATG start codon of the HXK1 gene encoding the GlcNAc-kinase, a key enzyme of the GlcNAc catabolic pathway. However, all examined genes produced transcripts even though different levels of expression were observed among the Candida isolates examined. In particular, we found an HXK1-idependent relationship of the NGT1 gene and a considerable influence of the GlcNAc-kinase functionality on the transcription of the DAC1 and NAG1 genes. Additional phenotypic analysis revealed that C. africana isolates are hyperfilamentous in the first 24-48h of growth on filament-inducing media and revert to the yeast morphological form after 72h of incubation on these media. Conclusions Our results show that C. africana is a natural HXK1 mutant, displaying a number of phenotypic characteristics distinct from typical C. albicans isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rosa Felice
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Megha Gulati
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Letterio Giuffrè
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Domenico Giosa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luca Marco Di Bella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Criseo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Clarissa J. Nobile
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Orazio Romeo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
- Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS)—Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Fabio Scordino
- Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS)—Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy
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16
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Molecular Characterization of Candida africana in Genital Specimens in Shanghai, China. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:185387. [PMID: 26665002 PMCID: PMC4668292 DOI: 10.1155/2015/185387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Candida africana, an emerging yeast pathogen, is closely related to Candida albicans and most commonly involved in vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). However, its prevalence in candidal balanoposthitis is still unclear. In this study, the prevalence of C. africana in both candidal balanoposthitis and VVC in a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic in Shanghai, China, was analyzed, and the molecular characterization and susceptible profiles of C. africana isolates were investigated. As results, C. africana was only isolated in 5 out of 79 (6.3%) cases of candidal balanoposthitis rather than cases with vulvovaginal candidiasis. Among them, 4 out of 5 isolates share the same genotype of DST 782 with an isolate from vaginal swab in Japan published previously. All C. africana isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, caspofungin, and micafungin.
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17
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Molecular Characterization of Highly Susceptible Candida africana from Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Mycopathologia 2015; 180:317-23. [DOI: 10.1007/s11046-015-9924-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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18
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Criseo G, Scordino F, Romeo O. Current methods for identifying clinically important cryptic Candida species. J Microbiol Methods 2015; 111:50-6. [PMID: 25659326 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the taxonomy of the most important pathogenic Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida glabrata) has undergone profound changes due to the description of new closely-related species. This has resulted in the establishment of cryptic species complexes difficult to recognize in clinical diagnostic laboratories. The identification of these novel Candida species seems to be clinically relevant because it is likely that they differ in virulence and drug resistance. Nevertheless, current phenotypic methods are not suitable to accurately distinguish all the species belonging to a specific cryptic complex and therefore their recognition still requires molecular methods. Since traditional mycological techniques have not been useful, a number of molecular based methods have recently been developed. These range from simple PCR-based methods to more sophisticated real-time PCR and/or MALDI-TOF methods. In this article, we review the current methods designed for discriminating among closely related Candida species by highlighting, in particular, the limits of the existing phenotypic tests and the development of rapid and specific molecular tools for their proper identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Criseo
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Fabio Scordino
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Orazio Romeo
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy.
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19
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Delfino D, Scordino F, Pernice I, Lo Passo C, Galbo R, David A, Barberi I, Criseo G, Cascio A, Romeo O. Potential association of specific Candida parapsilosis genotypes, bloodstream infections and colonization of health workers' hands. Clin Microbiol Infect 2014; 20:O946-51. [PMID: 24845557 DOI: 10.1111/1469-0691.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Revised: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Fungal nosocomial infections continue to be a serious problem among hospitalized patients, decreasing quality of life and adding millions of euros to healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of fungi associated with the hands of healthcare workers and to genotype Candida parapsilosis isolates in order to understand whether their high clinical prevalence stems from endemic nosocomial genotypes or from the real emergence of epidemiologically-unrelated strains. Approximately 39% (50/129) of healthcare workers were positive for yeasts and among 77 different fungal isolates recovered, C. parapsilosis was the most frequent (44/77; 57%). Twenty-seven diverse genotypes were obtained by microsatellite analysis of 42 selected blood and hand isolates. Most of the isolates from hands showed a new, unrelated, genotype, whereas a particular group of closely related genotypes prevailed in blood samples. Some of the latter genotypes were also found on the hands of healthcare workers, indicating a persistence of these clones within our hospital. C. parapsilosis genotypes from the hands were much more heterogeneous than clinical ones, thus reflecting a high genetic diversity among isolates, which is notably unusual and unexpected for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Delfino
- Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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20
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Shan Y, Fan S, Liu X, Li J. Prevalence of Candida albicans-closely related yeasts, Candida africana and Candida dubliniensis, in vulvovaginal candidiasis. Med Mycol 2014; 52:636-40. [PMID: 25023482 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myu003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Isolates of Candida africana and C. dubliniensis were recovered from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). The isolates were initially identified as C. albicans through use of the API Candida System. We retrospectively reexamined 1014 vaginal isolates presumptively determined to be C. albicans at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital from 1 January 2003 through 31 December 2012. Our objective was to determine, via detection of the HWP1 gene, if any of the isolates were C. africana or C. dubliniensis. One and a half percent of these isolates (15/1014) were found to be C. africana, whereas C. dubliniensis was not detected. The 15 C. africana isolates were susceptible to nystatin, fluconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, and clotrimazole. Candida africana could not be recovered from clinical vaginal specimens from the 15 patients at follow-up on days 7-14 and days 30-35 when treated with different antifungal agents. We conclude that C. africana, but not C. dubliniensis, was present in the vaginal samples of patients with VVC. The C. africana isolates were susceptible to the tested antifungal agents. VVC caused by C. africana appears to respond well to current therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Shan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shangrong Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China Shenzhen Key Laboratory Of Gynecological Diagnostic Technology Research, Shenzhen, 518036, China
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- Department of Laboratory Science, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianling Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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21
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Sharma C, Muralidhar S, Xu J, Meis JF, Chowdhary A. Multilocus sequence typing ofCandida africanafrom patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis in New Delhi, India. Mycoses 2014; 57:544-52. [DOI: 10.1111/myc.12193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cheshta Sharma
- Department of Medical Mycology; Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute; University of Delhi; Delhi India
| | - Sumathi Muralidhar
- Regional STD Teaching, Training & Research Center; Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjang Hospital; New Delhi India
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Jacques F. Meis
- Department of Medical Microbiology; Radboud University Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Anuradha Chowdhary
- Department of Medical Mycology; Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute; University of Delhi; Delhi India
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