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Dao A, Kim HY, Garnham K, Kidd S, Sati H, Perfect J, Sorrell TC, Harrison T, Rickerts V, Gigante V, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Alffenaar JW, Morrissey CO, Chen SCA, Beardsley J. Cryptococcosis-a systematic review to inform the World Health Organization Fungal Priority Pathogens List. Med Mycol 2024; 62:myae043. [PMID: 38935902 PMCID: PMC11210623 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myae043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis causes a high burden of disease worldwide. This systematic review summarizes the literature on Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii infections to inform the World Health Organization's first Fungal Priority Pathogen List. PubMed and Web of Science were used to identify studies reporting on annual incidence, mortality, morbidity, antifungal resistance, preventability, and distribution/emergence in the past 10 years. Mortality rates due to C. neoformans were 41%-61%. Complications included acute renal impairment, raised intracranial pressure needing shunts, and blindness. There was moderate evidence of reduced susceptibility (MIC range 16-32 mg/l) of C. neoformans to fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B. Cryptococcus gattii infections comprised 11%-33% of all cases of invasive cryptococcosis globally. The mortality rates were 10%-23% for central nervous system (CNS) and pulmonary infections, and ∼43% for bloodstream infections. Complications described included neurological sequelae (17%-27% in C. gattii infections) and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. MICs were generally low for amphotericin B (MICs: 0.25-0.5 mg/l), 5-flucytosine (MIC range: 0.5-2 mg/l), itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole (MIC range: 0.06-0.5 mg/l). There is a need for increased surveillance of disease phenotype and outcome, long-term disability, and drug susceptibility to inform robust estimates of disease burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiken Dao
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Clinical School, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hannah Yejin Kim
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
- Department of Pharmacy, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Australia
| | - Katherine Garnham
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, Qld 4575, Australia
| | - Sarah Kidd
- National Mycology Reference Centre, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Hatim Sati
- AMR Division, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Tania C Sorrell
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Clinical School, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Thomas Harrison
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University London, London, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Valeria Gigante
- AMR Division, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo
- Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jan-Willem Alffenaar
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Clinical School, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - C Orla Morrissey
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash University, Department of Infectious Diseases, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sharon C-A Chen
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, New South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, Australia
| | - Justin Beardsley
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Sydney, Australia
- Westmead Clinical School, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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2
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Alves MJ, Cruz KS, Alves GSB, Grisolia ME, Menescal VVF, do Nascimento IS, Menescal LSF, Pinheiro SB, da Silva FA, Trilles L, de Souza JVB, Lazera MDS, Jackisch-Matsuura AB. Antifungal susceptibility and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of Cryptococcus neoformans complex from HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis patients in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s42770-024-01378-y. [PMID: 38755408 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01378-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is primarily responsible for cases of cryptococcal meningitis in individuals with HIV/AIDS. This study evaluated the susceptibility of C. neoformans obtained from individuals with cryptococcal meningitis associated with HIV/AIDS in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, against the action of the antifungals amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole and posaconazole and analyzed it using Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) in order to identify the Sequence Types (STs). We analyzed 30 isolates of C. neoformans, from 24 HIV/AIDS patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis from 2017 to 2019 in a reference hospital, in addition to 3 environmental isolates: 1 isolate obtained in the home of a patient and 2 isolates obtained from neighboring homes of patients. 86.6% (n = 26/30) of the clinical isolates were identified as C. neoformans VNI ST93, 6.6% (n = 2/30) as C. neoformans VNI ST5, 3.3% (n = 1/30) as C. neoformans VNI ST32 and 3.3% (n = 1/30) as C. neoformans VNB ST232. The environmental isolates were identified as C. neoformans VNI ST93 (n = 3/3). 96.6% (n = 29/30) isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B, though there was variation in the MIC. 60% (n = 18/30) presented a MIC above the proposed epidemiological cutoff values for one or more antifungals. All environmental isolates were sensitive to the tested antifungals. The MLST showed that there is an important relationship between C. neoformans VNI ST93 and individuals with HIV/AIDS, including in the environmental isolates analyzed. C. neoformans VNB ST232 was observed for the first time in Amazonas. Amphotericin B was proven to be the best drug, but fluconazole and posaconazole also showed relevant action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marla Jalene Alves
- Laboratório de Diversidade Microbiana da Amazônia com importância para a Saúde, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Convenio ILMD/IOC - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Katia Santana Cruz
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Laboratório de Micologia Médica, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Gleica Soyan Barbosa Alves
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Itacoatiara, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Maria Eduarda Grisolia
- Laboratório de Diversidade Microbiana da Amazônia com importância para a Saúde, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Victoria Violeta Fernandes Menescal
- Laboratório de Diversidade Microbiana da Amazônia com importância para a Saúde, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Izabella Sadalla do Nascimento
- Laboratório de Diversidade Microbiana da Amazônia com importância para a Saúde, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | | | - Silviane Bezerra Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Felipe Almeida da Silva
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciana Trilles
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Marcia Dos Santos Lazera
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Convenio ILMD/IOC - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ani Beatriz Jackisch-Matsuura
- Laboratório de Diversidade Microbiana da Amazônia com importância para a Saúde, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
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3
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Wang P, Li Y, Gao L, Tang X, Zheng D, Wu K, Wang L, Guo P, Ye F. In vitro characterization and molecular epidemiology of Cryptococcus spp. isolates from non-HIV patients in Guangdong, China. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1295363. [PMID: 38287960 PMCID: PMC10823435 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1295363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The burden of cryptococcosis in mainland China is enormous. However, the in vitro characterization and molecular epidemiology in Guangdong, a key region with a high incidence of fungal infection in China, are not clear. Methods From January 1, 2010, to March 31, 2019, clinical strains of Cryptococcus were collected from six medical centres in Guangdong. The clinical information and characteristics of the strains were analysed. Furthermore, molecular types were determined. Results A total of 84 strains were collected, mostly from male and young or middle-aged adult patients. Pulmonary and cerebral infections (82.1%) were most common. All strains were Cryptococcus neoformans, grew well at 37°C and had capsules around their cells. One melanin- and urea- and one melanin+ and urea- variants were found. Although most strains exhibited a low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value for voriconazole (mean: 0.04 μg/mL) and posaconazole (mean: 0.12 μg/mL), the results for these isolates showed a high degree of variation in the MIC values of fluconazole and 5-fluorocytosine, and resistance was observed for 4 out of 6 drugs. A significant proportion of these strains had MIC values near the ECV values, particularly in the case of amphotericin B. The proportion of strains near the clinical breakpoints was as follows: fluconazole: 3.66%; voriconazole: 3.66%; itraconazole: 6.10%; posaconazole: 13.41%; amphotericin B: 84.15%; 5-fluorocytosine: 2.44%. These strains were highly homogeneous and were dominated by the Grubii variant (95.2%), VNI (94.0%), α mating (100%), and ST5 (89.3%) genotypes. Other rare types, including ST4, 31, 278, 7, 57 and 106, were also found. Conclusion Phenotypically variant and non-wild-type strains were found in Guangdong, and a significant proportion of these strains had MIC values near the ECV values towards the 6 antifungal drugs, and resistance was observed for 4 out of 6 drugs. The molecular type was highly homogeneous but compositionally diverse, with rare types found. Enhanced surveillance of the aetiology and evolution and continuous monitoring of antifungal susceptibility are needed to provide references for decision-making in the health sector and optimization of disease prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penglei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Longgang Central Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Gao
- Microscopy Core Facility, Biomedical Research Core Facilities, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Tang
- Intensive Care Unit, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dandian Zheng
- Department of Hematology Oncology, Jieyang City People's Hospital, Jieyang, China
| | - Kuihai Wu
- Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Foshan City First People's Hospital, Foshan, China
| | - Luxia Wang
- Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Southern Military Region General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Penghao Guo
- Clinical Medicine Laboratory, Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feng Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Agustinho DP, Brown HL, Chen G, Gaylord EA, Geddes-McAlister J, Brent MR, Doering TL. Unbiased discovery of natural sequence variants that influence fungal virulence. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:1910-1920.e5. [PMID: 37898126 PMCID: PMC10842055 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen that kills over 112,000 people each year, differ from a 19-Mb reference genome at a few thousand up to almost a million DNA sequence positions. We used bulked segregant analysis and association analysis, genetic methods that require no prior knowledge of sequence function, to address the key question of which naturally occurring sequence variants influence fungal virulence. We identified a region containing such variants, prioritized them, and engineered strains to test our findings in a mouse model of infection. At one locus, we identified a 4-nt variant in the PDE2 gene that occurs in common laboratory strains and severely truncates the encoded phosphodiesterase. The resulting loss of phosphodiesterase activity significantly impacts virulence. Our studies demonstrate a powerful and unbiased strategy for identifying key genomic regions in the absence of prior information and provide significant sequence and strain resources to the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Paiva Agustinho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Holly Leanne Brown
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Guohua Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Elizabeth Anne Gaylord
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Michael Richard Brent
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Genetics and Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Tamara Lea Doering
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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5
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de Castro RJA, Marina CL, Sturny-Leclère A, Hoffmann C, Bürgel PH, Wong SSW, Aimanianda V, Varet H, Agrawal R, Bocca AL, Alanio A. Kicking sleepers out of bed: Macrophages promote reactivation of dormant Cryptococcus neoformans by extracellular vesicle release and non-lytic exocytosis. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011841. [PMID: 38033163 PMCID: PMC10715671 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages play a key role in disseminated cryptococcosis, a deadly fungal disease caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. This opportunistic infection can arise following the reactivation of a poorly characterized latent infection attributed to dormant C. neoformans. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying reactivation of dormant C. neoformans using an in vitro co-culture model of viable but non-culturable (VBNC; equivalent of dormant) yeast cells with bone marrow-derived murine macrophages (BMDMs). Comparative transcriptome analysis of BMDMs incubated with log, stationary phase or VBNC cells of C. neoformans showed that VBNC cells elicited a reduced transcriptional modification of the macrophage but retaining the ability to regulate genes important for immune response, such as NLRP3 inflammasome-related genes. We further confirmed the maintenance of the low immunostimulatory capacity of VBNC cells using multiplex cytokine profiling, and analysis of cell wall composition and dectin-1 ligands exposure. In addition, we evaluated the effects of classic (M1) or alternative (M2) macrophage polarization on VBNC cells. We observed that intracellular residence sustained dormancy, regardless of the polarization state of macrophages and despite indirect detection of pantothenic acid (or its derivatives), a known reactivator for VBNC cells, in the C. neoformans-containing phagolysosome. Notably, M0 and M2, but not M1 macrophages, induced extracellular reactivation of VBNC cells by the secretion of extracellular vesicles and non-lytic exocytosis. Our results indicate that VBNC cells retain the low immunostimulatory profile required for persistence of C. neoformans in the host. We also describe a pro-pathogen role of macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles in C. neoformans infection and reinforce the impact of non-lytic exocytosis and the macrophage profile on the pathophysiology of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffael Júnio Araújo de Castro
- Translational Mycology Research Group, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Clara Luna Marina
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Aude Sturny-Leclère
- Translational Mycology Research Group, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Christian Hoffmann
- Food Research Center, Department of Food Sciences and Experimental Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Bürgel
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Sarah Sze Wah Wong
- Immunobiology of Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Vishukumar Aimanianda
- Immunobiology of Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Hugo Varet
- Plate-forme Technologique Biomics, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Ruchi Agrawal
- Translational Mycology Research Group, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Anamélia Lorenzetti Bocca
- Laboratory of Applied Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Alanio
- Translational Mycology Research Group, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
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6
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Anderson FM, Visser ND, Amses KR, Hodgins-Davis A, Weber AM, Metzner KM, McFadden MJ, Mills RE, O'Meara MJ, James TY, O'Meara TR. Candida albicans selection for human commensalism results in substantial within-host diversity without decreasing fitness for invasive disease. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001822. [PMID: 37205709 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a frequent colonizer of human mucosal surfaces as well as an opportunistic pathogen. C. albicans is remarkably versatile in its ability to colonize diverse host sites with differences in oxygen and nutrient availability, pH, immune responses, and resident microbes, among other cues. It is unclear how the genetic background of a commensal colonizing population can influence the shift to pathogenicity. Therefore, we examined 910 commensal isolates from 35 healthy donors to identify host niche-specific adaptations. We demonstrate that healthy people are reservoirs for genotypically and phenotypically diverse C. albicans strains. Using limited diversity exploitation, we identified a single nucleotide change in the uncharacterized ZMS1 transcription factor that was sufficient to drive hyper invasion into agar. We found that SC5314 was significantly different from the majority of both commensal and bloodstream isolates in its ability to induce host cell death. However, our commensal strains retained the capacity to cause disease in the Galleria model of systemic infection, including outcompeting the SC5314 reference strain during systemic competition assays. This study provides a global view of commensal strain variation and within-host strain diversity of C. albicans and suggests that selection for commensalism in humans does not result in a fitness cost for invasive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith M Anderson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Noelle D Visser
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Kevin R Amses
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Andrea Hodgins-Davis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Alexandra M Weber
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Katura M Metzner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Michael J McFadden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ryan E Mills
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Matthew J O'Meara
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Timothy Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Teresa R O'Meara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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7
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Jackson KM, Ding M, Nielsen K. Importance of Clinical Isolates in Cryptococcus neoformans Research. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:364. [PMID: 36983532 PMCID: PMC10056780 DOI: 10.3390/jof9030364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is a global health concern. Previous research in the field has focused on studies using reference strains to identify virulence factors, generate mutant libraries, define genomic structures, and perform functional studies. In this review, we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using reference strains to study C. neoformans, describe how the study of clinical isolates has expanded our understanding of pathogenesis, and highlight how studies using clinical isolates can further develop our understanding of the host-pathogen interaction during C. neoformans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kirsten Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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8
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Oladele RO, Jordan AM, Okaa JU, Osaigbovo II, Shettima SA, Shehu NY, Davies AA, Mohammed Y, Alex-Wele MA, Iliyasu G, Nwaokenye JC, Fayemiwo SA, Udoh UA, Gbajabiamila T, Denning DW, Chiller TM. A multicenter survey of asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia among patients with advanced HIV disease in Nigeria. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001313. [PMID: 36963010 PMCID: PMC10021610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
As of 2018, cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease (AHD) was not routinely implemented in Nigeria despite being recommended in the national HIV treatment guidelines. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia in adult people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria to advocate for the implementation of routine CrAg screening. A descriptive cross-sectional study and CrAg screening of consecutive adult PLHIV with CD4 counts ≤200 cells/μL was conducted from April 2018 to April 2019 at HIV clinics in eleven tertiary hospitals spread across Nigeria's six geopolitical regions. Prevalence of asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia was estimated by facility and geopolitical zone. Logistic regression was conducted to identify risk factors for cryptococcal antigenemia. In total, 1,114 patients with AHD were screened. The overall prevalence of asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia was 3.9% with wide variation across facilities (range: 0/75 [0%]- 15/122 [12.3%]) and geopolitical zones (range: 0/75 [0%]-19/279 [6.8%]). Prevalence of antigenemia was highest in the South-West (19/279 [6.8%]) and lowest in the North-East (0/75 [0%]). Prevalence was 5.2% (26/512) and 3.2% (18/561) in patients with CD4<100 and CD4 of 101-200, respectively. Of all patients with antigenemia, 50% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the time of having a positive CrAg test. In adjusted analysis, cryptococcal antigenemia was significantly less in patients on ART and patients who had completed any formal education. The survey showed a high overall burden of cryptococcal antigenemia in Nigeria, with variable prevalence across geopolitical regions. We provided valuable evidence for implementing routine CrAg screening of AHD patients in Nigeria which has commenced in selected centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita O Oladele
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
- Medical Mycology Society of Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Alexander M Jordan
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Joy U Okaa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
| | - Iriagbonse I Osaigbovo
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria
| | - Shuwaram A Shettima
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Parasitology and immunology, Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Yola, Nigeria
| | - Nathan Y Shehu
- West African Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Adeyinka A Davies
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria
| | - Yahaya Mohammed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Mary A Alex-Wele
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
| | - Garba Iliyasu
- Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Jude C Nwaokenye
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Samuel A Fayemiwo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Ubong A Udoh
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Titilola Gbajabiamila
- Clinical Sciences Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - David W Denning
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Tom M Chiller
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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9
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Sephton-Clark P, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Meyers N, Giamberardino C, Molloy SF, Palmucci JR, Chan A, Chikaonda T, Heyderman R, Hosseinipour M, Kalata N, Kanyama C, Kukacha C, Lupiya D, Mwandumba HC, Harrison T, Bicanic T, Perfect JR, Cuomo CA. Genomic Variation across a Clinical Cryptococcus Population Linked to Disease Outcome. mBio 2022; 13:e0262622. [PMID: 36354332 PMCID: PMC9765290 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02626-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is the causative agent of cryptococcosis, a disease with poor patient outcomes that accounts for approximately 180,000 deaths each year. Patient outcomes may be impacted by the underlying genetics of the infecting isolate; however, our current understanding of how genetic diversity contributes to clinical outcomes is limited. Here, we leverage clinical, in vitro growth and genomic data for 284 C. neoformans isolates to identify clinically relevant pathogen variants within a population of clinical isolates from patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated cryptococcosis in Malawi. Through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach, we identify variants associated with the fungal burden and the growth rate. We also find both small and large-scale variation, including aneuploidy, associated with alternate growth phenotypes, which may impact the course of infection. Genes impacted by these variants are involved in transcriptional regulation, signal transduction, glycosylation, sugar transport, and glycolysis. We show that growth within the central nervous system (CNS) is reliant upon glycolysis in an animal model and likely impacts patient mortality, as the CNS yeast burden likely modulates patient outcome. Additionally, we find that genes with roles in sugar transport are enriched in regions under selection in specific lineages of this clinical population. Further, we demonstrate that genomic variants in two genes identified by GWAS impact virulence in animal models. Our approach identifies links between the genetic variation in C. neoformans and clinically relevant phenotypes and animal model pathogenesis, thereby shedding light on specific survival mechanisms within the CNS and identifying the pathways involved in yeast persistence. IMPORTANCE Infection outcomes for cryptococcosis, most commonly caused by C. neoformans, are influenced by host immune responses as well as by host and pathogen genetics. Infecting yeast isolates are genetically diverse; however, we lack a deep understanding of how this diversity impacts patient outcomes. To better understand both clinical isolate diversity and how diversity contributes to infection outcomes, we utilize a large collection of clinical C. neoformans samples that were isolated from patients enrolled in a clinical trial across 3 hospitals in Malawi. By combining whole-genome sequence data, clinical data, and in vitro growth data, we utilize genome-wide association approaches to examine the genetic basis of virulence. Genes with significant associations display virulence attributes in both murine and rabbit models, demonstrating that our approach can identify potential links between genetic variants and patho-biologically significant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy Sephton-Clark
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Tenor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dena L. Toffaletti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nancy Meyers
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles Giamberardino
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Síle F. Molloy
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Academic Group in Infection, St George's University Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julia R. Palmucci
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Adrienne Chan
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tarsizio Chikaonda
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Robert Heyderman
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mina Hosseinipour
- UNC Project Malawi, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Newton Kalata
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Cecilia Kanyama
- UNC Project Malawi, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christopher Kukacha
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Duncan Lupiya
- Tisungane Clinic, Zomba Central Hospital, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Henry C. Mwandumba
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Thomas Harrison
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Academic Group in Infection, St George's University Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tihana Bicanic
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Academic Group in Infection, St George's University Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - John R. Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Firacative C, Zuluaga-Puerto N, Guevara J. Cryptococcus neoformans Causing Meningoencephalitis in Adults and a Child from Lima, Peru: Genotypic Diversity and Antifungal Susceptibility. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121306. [PMID: 36547639 PMCID: PMC9781953 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis, caused predominantly by Cryptococcus neoformans, is a potentially fatal, opportunistic infection that commonly affects the central nervous system of immunocompromised patients. Globally, this mycosis is responsible for almost 20% of AIDS-related deaths, and in countries like Peru, its incidence remains high, mostly due to the annual increase in new cases of HIV infection. This study aimed to establish the genotypic diversity and antifungal susceptibility of C. neoformans isolates causing meningoencephalitis in 25 adults and a 9-year-old girl with HIV and other risk factors from Lima, Peru. To identify the genotype of the isolates, multilocus sequence typing was applied, and to establish the susceptibility of the isolates to six antifungals, a YeastOne® broth microdilution was used. From the isolates, 19 were identified as molecular type VNI, and seven as VNII, grouped in eight and three sequence types, respectively, which shows that the studied population was highly diverse. Most isolates were susceptible to all antifungals tested. However, VNI isolates were less susceptible to fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole than VNII isolates (p < 0.05). This study contributes data on the molecular epidemiology and the antifungal susceptibility profile of the most common etiological agent of cryptococcosis, highlighting a pediatric case, something which is rare among cryptococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Firacative
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Rosario, Bogota 111221, Colombia
- Correspondence:
| | | | - José Guevara
- Facultad de Medicina “San Fernando”, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru
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11
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Hitchcock M, Xu J. Analyses of the Global Multilocus Genotypes of the Human Pathogenic Yeast Cryptococcus neoformans Species Complex. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:2045. [PMID: 36360282 PMCID: PMC9691084 DOI: 10.3390/genes13112045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans species complex (CNSC) is a globally distributed human opportunistic yeast pathogen consisting of five major molecular types (VNI, VNII, VNB, VNIII and VNIV) belonging to two species, C. neoformans (VNI, VNII and VNB, collectively called serotype A) and C. deneoformans (VNIV, commonly called serotype D), and their hybrids (VNIII, serotype AD). Over the years, many studies have analyzed the geographical distribution and genetic diversity of CNSC. However, the global population structure and mode of reproduction remain incompletely described. In this study, we analyze the published multilocus sequence data at seven loci for CNSC. The combined sequences at the seven loci identified a total of 657 multilocus sequence types (STs), including 296 STs with known geographic information, representing 4200 non-redundant isolates from 31 countries and four continents. Among the 296 STs, 78 and 52 were shared among countries and continents, respectively, representing 3643 of the 4200 isolates. Except for the clone-corrected serotype D sample among countries, our analysis of the molecular variance of the 4200 isolates revealed significant genetic differentiations among countries and continents in populations of CNSC, serotype A, and serotype D. Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated sequences of all 657 STs revealed several large clusters corresponding to the major molecular types. However, several rare but distinct STs were also found, representing potentially novel molecular types and/or hybrids of existing molecular types. Phylogenetic incompatibility analyses revealed evidence for recombination within all four major molecular types-VNI, VNII, VNIV and VNB-as well as within two VNB subclades, VNBI and VNBII, and two ST clusters around the most common STs, ST5 and ST93. However, linkage disequilibrium analyses rejected the hypothesis of random recombination across most samples. Together, our results suggest evidence for historical differentiation, frequent recent gene flow, clonal expansion and recombination within and between lineages of the global CNSC population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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12
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Kassaza K, Wasswa F, Nielsen K, Bazira J. Cryptococcus neoformans Genotypic Diversity and Disease Outcome among HIV Patients in Africa. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8070734. [PMID: 35887489 PMCID: PMC9325144 DOI: 10.3390/jof8070734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, a disease with poor patient outcomes, remains the most prevalent invasive fungal infection worldwide, accounting for approximately 180,000 deaths each year. In several areas of sub-Saharan Africa with the highest HIV prevalence, cryptococcal meningitis is the leading cause of community-acquired meningitis, with a high mortality among HIV-infected individuals. Recent studies show that patient disease outcomes are impacted by the genetics of the infecting isolate. Yet, there is still limited knowledge of how these genotypic variations contribute to clinical disease outcome. Further, it is unclear how the genetic heterogeneity of C. neoformans and the extensive phenotypic variation observed between and within isolates affects infection and disease. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of how various genotypes impact disease progression and patient outcome in HIV-positive populations in sub-Saharan African, a setting with a high burden of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennedy Kassaza
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara P.O. Box 1410, Uganda; (K.K.); (F.W.)
| | - Fredrickson Wasswa
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara P.O. Box 1410, Uganda; (K.K.); (F.W.)
| | - Kirsten Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Correspondence: (K.N.); (J.B.)
| | - Joel Bazira
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara P.O. Box 1410, Uganda; (K.K.); (F.W.)
- Correspondence: (K.N.); (J.B.)
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13
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Naicker SD, Firacative C, van Schalkwyk E, Maphanga TG, Monroy-Nieto J, Bowers JR, Engelthaler DM, Meyer W, Govender NP. Molecular type distribution and fluconazole susceptibility of clinical Cryptococcus gattii isolates from South African laboratory-based surveillance, 2005–2013. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010448. [PMID: 35767529 PMCID: PMC9242473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As is the case globally, Cryptococcus gattii is a less frequent cause of cryptococcosis than Cryptococcus neoformans in South Africa. We performed multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and fluconazole susceptibility testing of 146 isolates randomly selected from 750 South African patients with C. gattii disease identified through enhanced laboratory surveillance, 2005 to 2013. The dominant molecular type was VGIV (101/146, 70%), followed by VGI (40/146, 27%), VGII (3/146, 2%) and VGIII (2/146, 1%). Among the 146 C. gattii isolates, 99 different sequence types (STs) were identified, with ST294 (14/146, 10%) and ST155 (10/146, 7%) being most commonly observed. The fluconazole MIC50 and MIC90 values of 105 (of 146) randomly selected C. gattii isolates were 4 μg/ml and 16 μg/ml, respectively. VGIV isolates had a lower MIC50 value compared to non-VGIV isolates, but these values were within one double-dilution of each other. HIV-seropositive patients had a ten-fold increased adjusted odds of a VGIV infection compared to HIV-seronegative patients, though with small numbers (99/136; 73% vs. 2/10; 20%), the confidence interval (CI) was wide (95% CI: 1.93–55.31, p = 0.006). Whole genome phylogeny of 98 isolates of South Africa’s most prevalent molecular type, VGIV, identified that this molecular type is highly diverse, with two interesting clusters of ten and six closely related isolates being identified, respectively. One of these clusters consisted only of patients from the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, suggesting a similar environmental source. This study contributed new insights into the global population structure of this important human pathogen. Cryptococcus is the most common cause of meningitis among adults in South Africa. Most human disease is caused by the members of two species complexes within the genus, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The environmental range of these species complexes, both found in soil, overlaps in southern Africa though C. gattii is a less common human pathogen. C. gattii is divided into six molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, VGIV, VGV and VGVI. In earlier molecular epidemiology studies including relatively few isolates, most southern African isolates were confirmed as molecular type VGIV. We aimed to determine the molecular diversity of C. gattii in South Africa by genotyping patient isolates obtained through laboratory surveillance, 2005–2013. We confirmed that VGIV was the dominant molecular type and that HIV-seropositive patients were more likely to be infected with VGIV compared to those HIV-seronegative. Analysis of the genomes of South African VGIV isolates revealed that they spanned the whole VGIV clade and confirmed that most isolates did not cluster specifically. However, we observed two interesting clusters of closely related isolates, consisting of patients from three neighbouring provinces in South Africa, suggesting a similar environmental source. Further studies of clinical and environmental African C. gattii isolates are needed to gain a better understanding of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serisha D. Naicker
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses), a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Carolina Firacative
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Erika van Schalkwyk
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses), a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Tsidiso G. Maphanga
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses), a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Juan Monroy-Nieto
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jolene R. Bowers
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - David M. Engelthaler
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Research and Educational Network, Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Nelesh P. Govender
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (Centre for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses), a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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Genetic Interaction Analysis Reveals that Cryptococcus neoformans Utilizes Multiple Acetyl-CoA-Generating Pathways during Infection. mBio 2022; 13:e0127922. [PMID: 35766403 PMCID: PMC9426453 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01279-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an important human fungal pathogen for which the external environment is its primary niche. Previous work has shown that two nonessential acetyl-CoA metabolism enzymes, ATP-citrate lyase (ACL1) and acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS1), play important roles in C. neoformans infection. Here, we took a genetic interaction approach to studying the interplay between these two enzymes along with an enzyme initially called ACS2 but which we have found is an acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase; we have renamed the gene 2-ketobutyryl CoA synthetase 1 (KBC1) based on its biochemical activity and the systematic name of its substrate. ACL1 and ACS1 represent a synthetic lethal pair of genes based on our genetic interaction studies. Double mutants of KBC1 with either ACS1 or ACL1 do not have significant synthetic phenotypes in vitro, although we find that deletion of any one of these enzymes reduces fitness within macrophages. Importantly, the acs1Δ kbc1Δ double mutant has significantly reduced fitness in the CNS relative to either single mutant as well as WT (~2 log10 CFU reduction in fungal burden), indicating the important role these enzymes play during infection. The expression of both ACS1 and KBC1 is increased in vivo relative to in vitro conditions. The acs1Δ mutant is hypersusceptible to fluconazole in vivo despite its minimal in vitro phenotypes. These data not only provide insights into the in vivo mechanism of action for a new class of antifungal Acs inhibitors but also into metabolic adaptations of C. neoformans to the host environment.
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15
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Rokas A. Evolution of the human pathogenic lifestyle in fungi. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:607-619. [PMID: 35508719 PMCID: PMC9097544 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01112-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens cause more than a billion human infections every year, resulting in more than 1.6 million deaths annually. Understanding the natural history and evolutionary ecology of fungi is helping us understand how disease-relevant traits have repeatedly evolved. Different types and mechanisms of genetic variation have contributed to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity and specific genetic differences distinguish pathogens from non-pathogens. Insights into the traits, genetic elements, and genetic and ecological mechanisms that contribute to the evolution of fungal pathogenicity are crucial for developing strategies to both predict emergence of fungal pathogens and develop drugs to combat them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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16
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Cryptococcus spp. and Cryptococcosis: focusing on the infection in Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:1321-1337. [PMID: 35486354 PMCID: PMC9433474 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00744-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a global fungal infection caused by the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii yeast complex. This infection is acquired by inhalation of propagules such as basidiospores or dry yeast, initially causing lung infections with the possibility of progressing to the meninges. This infection mainly affects immunocompromised HIV and transplant patients; however, immunocompetent patients can also be affected. This review proposes to evaluate cryptococcosis focusing on studies of this mycosis in Brazilian territory; moreover, recent advances in the understanding of its virulence mechanism, animal models in research are also assessed. For this, literature review as realized in PubMed, Scielo, and Brazilian legislation. In Brazil, cryptococcosis has been identified as one of the most lethal fungal infections among HIV patients and C. neoformans VNI and C. gattii VGII are the most prevalent genotypes. Moreover, different clinical settings published in Brazil were described. As in other countries, cryptococcosis is difficult to treat due to a limited therapeutic arsenal, which is highly toxic and costly. The presence of a polysaccharide capsule, thermo-tolerance, production of melanin, biofilm formation, mechanisms for iron use, and morphological alterations is an important virulence mechanism of these yeasts. The introduction of cryptococcosis as a compulsory notification disease could improve data regarding incidence and help in the management of these infections.
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Deciphering the Association among Pathogenicity, Production and Polymorphisms of Capsule/Melanin in Clinical Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii VNI. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8030245. [PMID: 35330247 PMCID: PMC8950468 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that can cause meningitis in immunocompromised individuals. The objective of this work was to study the relationship between the phenotypes and genotypes of isolates of clinical origin from different cities in Colombia. Methods: Genome classification of 29 clinical isolates of C. neoformans var. grubii was performed using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and genomic sequencing was used to genotype protein-coding genes. Pathogenicity was assessed in a larval model, and melanin production and capsule size were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: Eleven MLST sequence types (STs) were found, the most frequent being ST69 (n = 9), ST2, ST93, and ST377 (each with n = 4). In the 29 isolates, different levels of pigmentation, capsule size and pathogenicity were observed. Isolates classified as highly pathogenic showed a tendency to exhibit larger increases in capsule size. In the analysis of polymorphisms, 48 non-synonymous variants located in the predicted functional domains of 39 genes were found to be associated with capsule size change, melanin, or pathogenicity. Conclusions: No clear patterns were found in the analysis of the phenotype and genotype of Cryptococcus. However, the data suggest that the increase in capsule size is a key variable for the differentiation of pathogenic isolates, regardless of the method used for its induction.
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de Oliveira L, Melhem MDSC, Buccheri R, Chagas OJ, Vidal JE, Diaz-Quijano FA. Early clinical and microbiological predictors of outcome in hospitalized patients with cryptococcal meningitis. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:138. [PMID: 35139801 PMCID: PMC8830130 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07118-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cryptococcal meningitis causes high mortality in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. The objective of this study was to identify early predictors of clinical outcome, available at the first days of hospitalization, in patients with cryptococcal meningitis in a tertiary center in Brazil. Methods Ninety-six cases of cryptococcal meningitis with clinical, epidemiological and laboratory data, and identification and antifungal susceptibility of the strains were analyzed. Quantitative CSF yeast counts were performed by direct microscopic exam with a Fuchs-Rosenthal cell counting chamber using an institutional protocol. Univariable and multiple analyses using logistic regression were performed to identify predictors, available at the beginning of hospitalization, of in-hospital mortality. Moreover, we performed a secondary analysis for a composite outcome defined by hospital mortality and intensive care unit transfer. Results The species and the antifungal susceptibility were not associated with the outcomes evaluated. The variables significantly associated with the mortality were age (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.02–1.15), the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) yeasts count (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.20–2.27), systemic arterial hypertension (OR = 22.63, 95% CI 1.64–312.91) and neurological impairment identified by computed tomography (OR = 41.73, 95% CI 3.10–561.65). At the secondary analysis, CSF yeast count was also associated with the composite outcome, in addition to the culture of Cryptococcus spp. from bloodstream and cerebral toxoplasmosis. The associations were consistent with survival models evaluated. Conclusions Age and CSF yeast count were independently associated with in-hospital mortality of patients with cryptococcal meningitis but Cryptococcus species identification and antifungal susceptibility were not associated with the outcomes. Quantitative CSF yeast counts used in this study can be evaluated and implemented in other low and middle-income settings. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07118-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidiane de Oliveira
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-904, Brazil.
| | - Marcia de Souza Carvalho Melhem
- Mycology Unit of Adolfo Lutz Institute, Public Health Reference Laboratory, Secretary of Health, Av. Dr.Arnaldo, 351, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05411-000, Brazil.,School of Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Bairro Universitário, Av. Costa e Silva, s/no, Campo Grande, MS, CEP 79070-900, Brazil
| | - Renata Buccheri
- Department of Neurology, Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 165, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05411-000, Brazil
| | - Oscar José Chagas
- Department of Neurology, Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 165, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05411-000, Brazil
| | - José Ernesto Vidal
- Department of Neurology, Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 165, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05411-000, Brazil.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital das Clinicas, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 470, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-904, Brazil
| | - Fredi Alexander Diaz-Quijano
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01246-904, Brazil
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19
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Mohamed SH, Nyazika TK, Ssebambulidde K, Lionakis MS, Meya DB, Drummond RA. Fungal CNS Infections in Africa: The Neuroimmunology of Cryptococcal Meningitis. Front Immunol 2022; 13:804674. [PMID: 35432326 PMCID: PMC9010970 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.804674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is the leading cause of central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections in humans, with the majority of cases reported from the African continent. This is partly due to the high burden of HIV infection in the region and reduced access to standard-of-care including optimal sterilising antifungal drug treatments. As such, CM is responsible for 10-15% of all HIV-related mortality, with a large proportion being preventable. Immunity to the causative agent of CM, Cryptococcus neoformans, is only partially understood. IFNγ producing CD4+ T-cells are required for the activation of myeloid cells, especially macrophages, to enable fungal killing and clearance. However, macrophages may also act as a reservoir of the fungal yeast cells, shielding them from host immune detection thus promoting latent infection or persistent chronic inflammation. In this chapter, we review the epidemiology and pathogenesis of CNS fungal infections in Africa, with a major focus on CM, and the antifungal immune pathways operating to protect against C. neoformans infection. We also highlight the areas of research and policy that require prioritisation to help reduce the burden of CNS fungal diseases in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally H Mohamed
- Institute of Immunology & Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tinashe K Nyazika
- Department of Clinical Science, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth Ssebambulidde
- College of Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Michail S Lionakis
- Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David B Meya
- College of Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Rebecca A Drummond
- Institute of Immunology & Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.,Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Chidebelu PE, Nweze EI, Meis JF, Cogliati M, Hagen F. Multi-locus sequence typing reveals genotypic similarity in Nigerian Cryptococcus neoformans AFLP1/VNI of environmental and clinical origin. J Med Microbiol 2021; 70. [PMID: 34665109 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionPigeon droppings are among the major environmental sources of Cryptococcus neoformans AFLP1/VNI, from where the organism infects susceptible humans and animals resulting in cryptococcosis. Until now, C. neoformans AFLP1B/VNII was the only molecular type reported in Nigeria. Effective clinical treatment of this infection has occasionally been stymied by the emergence of antifungal non-susceptible, and resistant strains of C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI.Hypothesis/Gap StatementPigeon droppings harbour C. neoformans and HIV/AIDS patients are among the susceptible population to develop cryptococcal infection. Epidemiological data on cryptococcal prevalence is limited in Nigeria.AimTo investigate the environmental prevalence of C. neoformans in South-eastern Nigeria and compare the isolates with other lineages by using molecular and microbiological tools.MethodologyA total of 500 pigeon droppings and 300 blood samples of HIV/AIDS patients were collected, respectively, from five market squares and three tertiary healthcare centres within the Nsukka area of South-eastern Nigeria. The antifungal susceptibility of the C. neoformans isolates to amphotericin B, fluconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole was investigated based on the CLSI M27-A3 protocol. Yeasts were identified by MALDI-TOF MS, thereafter Cryptococcus MLST was performed according to the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) consensus scheme.Results C. neoformans was recovered from 6 (1.2 %) pigeon droppings and 6 (2 %) blood cultures of HIV/AIDS patients. Molecular analyses indicated that all cryptococcal isolates belong to serotype A and the AFLP1/VNI molecular type with sequence type (ST)32. Infection with C. neoformans was independent of sex and age of the patients investigated. All C. neoformans isolates were susceptible to the seven antifungal agents.ConclusionThis is the first report on the prevalence of C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI (ST32) in environmental and clinical samples from Nigeria. The antifungal susceptibility indicates that antifungal resistance by C. neoformans is yet a rare occurrence in Nigeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E Chidebelu
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Emeka I Nweze
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
- Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jacques F Meis
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Centre of Expertise in Mycology RadboudUMC/CWZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Massimo Cogliati
- Laboratorio di Micologia Medica, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Ferry Hagen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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21
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Edwards HM, Cogliati M, Kwenda G, Fisher MC. The need for environmental surveillance to understand the ecology, epidemiology and impact of Cryptococcus infection in Africa. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6312494. [PMID: 34196370 PMCID: PMC8536938 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the pathogenic yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii has been greatly enhanced by use of genome sequencing technologies. Found ubiquitously as saprotrophs in the environment, inhalation of infectious spores from these pathogens can lead to the disease cryptococcosis. Individuals with compromised immune systems are at particular risk, most notably those living with HIV/AIDS. Genome sequencing in combination with laboratory and clinical studies has revealed diverse lineages with important differences in their observed frequency, virulence and clinical outcomes. However, to date, genomic analyses have focused primarily on clinical isolates that represent only a subset of the diversity in the environment. Enhanced genomic surveillance of these yeasts in their native environments is needed in order to understand their ecology, biology and evolution and how these influence the epidemiology and pathophysiology of clinical disease. This is particularly relevant on the African continent from where global cryptococcal diversity may have originated, yet where environmental sampling and sequencing has been sparse despite harbouring the largest population at risk from cryptococcosis. Here, we review what scientifically and clinically relevant insights have been provided by analysis of environmental Cryptococcus isolates to date and argue that with further sampling, particularly in Africa, many more important discoveries await.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Edwards
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Massimo Cogliati
- Dip. Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Geoffrey Kwenda
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Ridgeway Campus, PO Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
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22
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Moslem M, Fatahinia M, Kiasat N, Mahmoudabadi AZ. Genotypic diversity of Iranian Cryptococcus neoformans using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and susceptibility to antifungals. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:4201-4208. [PMID: 34057687 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06433-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcus species is an opportunistic yeast pathogen and classified into different molecular types according to typing techniques including multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The study aimed to investigate the genotypes of environmental Cryptococcus isolates using MLST and the relationship between the in vitro antifungal susceptibility and sequence types of isolates. Genotyping Cryptococcus isolates was performed by the MLST method at seven nuclear loci. Antifungal susceptibility was determined by using CLSI broth micro-dilution method for amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, flucytosine, and luliconazole. Seven sequence types (ST) were detected using MLST analysis, with the most frequent (50%) ST77, followed by ST4 (16.7%) among 30 C. neoformans isolates. All antifungals demonstrated excellent activity against isolates, except for itraconazole and amphotericin B that were non-wild type against 53.3% and 10% of isolates, respectively. Although seven sequence types belonging to C. neoformans isolates were detected, ST77 was the main sequence type in Ahvaz. Also, non-wild type isolates were only found against itraconazole and amphotericin B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Moslem
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.,Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Fatahinia
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Neda Kiasat
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Ali Zarei Mahmoudabadi
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. .,Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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Abstract
Invasive fungal diseases continue to cause substantial mortality in the enlarging immunocompromised population. It is fortunate that the field has moved past amphotericin B deoxycholate as the only available antifungal drug but despite new classes of antifungal agents both primary and secondary drug resistance in molds and yeasts abound. From the rise of multiple-drug-resistant Candida auris to the agrochemical selection of environmental azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus, it is and will be critical to understand antifungal drug resistance and both prevent and treat it with new strategies and agents.
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Hong N, Chen M, Xu J. Molecular Markers Reveal Epidemiological Patterns and Evolutionary Histories of the Human Pathogenic Cryptococcus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:683670. [PMID: 34026667 PMCID: PMC8134695 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.683670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pathogenic Cryptococcus species are the main agents of fungal meningitis in humans and the causes of other diseases collectively called cryptococcosis. There are at least eight evolutionary divergent lineages among these agents, with different lineages showing different geographic and/or ecological distributions. In this review, we describe the main strain typing methods that have been used to analyze the human pathogenic Cryptococcus and discuss how molecular markers derived from the various strain typing methods have impacted our understanding of not only cryptococcal epidemiology but also its evolutionary histories. These methods include serotyping, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, electrophoretic karyotyping, random amplified polymorphic DNA, restriction fragment length polymorphism, PCR-fingerprinting, amplified fragment length polymorphism, multilocus microsatellite typing, single locus and multilocus sequence typing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, and whole genome sequencing. The major findings and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed. Together, while controversies remain, these strain typing methods have helped reveal (i) the broad phylogenetic pattern among these agents, (ii) the centers of origins for several lineages and their dispersal patterns, (iii) the distributions of genetic variation among geographic regions and ecological niches, (iv) recent hybridization among several lineages, and (v) specific mutations during infections within individual patients. However, significant challenges remain. Multilocus sequence typing and whole genome sequencing are emerging as the gold standards for continued strain typing and epidemiological investigations of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hong
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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25
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Naicker SD, Magobo RE, Maphanga TG, Firacative C, van Schalkwyk E, Monroy-Nieto J, Bowers J, Engelthaler DM, Shuping L, Meyer W, Govender NP. Genotype, Antifungal Susceptibility, and Virulence of Clinical South African Cryptococcus neoformans Strains from National Surveillance, 2005-2009. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7050338. [PMID: 33925754 PMCID: PMC8146981 DOI: 10.3390/jof7050338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In South Africa, Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common cause of adult meningitis. We performed multi locus sequence typing and fluconazole susceptibility testing of clinical C. neoformans isolates collected from 251 South African patients with cryptococcosis through national surveillance from 2005 to 2009. We examined the association between clinical characteristics of patients and genotype, and the effect of genotype on in-hospital mortality. We performed whole genome phylogenetic analysis of fifteen C. neoformans isolates with the molecular type VNB and tested their virulence in a Galleria mellonella model. Most isolates had the molecular type VNI (206/251, 82%), followed by VNII (25/251, 10%), VNB (15/251, 6%), and VNIV (5/251, 2%); 67 sequence types were identified. There were no differences in fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values among molecular types and the majority of strains had low MIC values (MIC50 of 1 µg/mL and MIC90 of 4 µg/mL). Males were almost twice as likely of being infected with a non-VNI genotype (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.25–10.99; p = 0.61). Compared to patients infected with a VNI genotype, those with a non-VNI genotype had a 50% reduced adjusted odds of dying in hospital (95% CI: 0.03–7.57; p = 0.62). However, for both these analyses, our estimates had wide confidence intervals spanning 1 with large p-values. Fifteen VNB strains were not as virulent in a G. mellonella larval model as the H99 reference strain. A majority of these VNB strains belonged to the VNBII clade and were very closely related by phylogenetic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serisha D. Naicker
- Center for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2192, South Africa; (R.E.M.); (T.G.M.); (E.v.S.); (L.S.); (N.P.G.)
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +27-11-555-0491
| | - Rindidzani E. Magobo
- Center for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2192, South Africa; (R.E.M.); (T.G.M.); (E.v.S.); (L.S.); (N.P.G.)
| | - Tsidiso G. Maphanga
- Center for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2192, South Africa; (R.E.M.); (T.G.M.); (E.v.S.); (L.S.); (N.P.G.)
| | - Carolina Firacative
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, 111611 Bogota, Colombia;
| | - Erika van Schalkwyk
- Center for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2192, South Africa; (R.E.M.); (T.G.M.); (E.v.S.); (L.S.); (N.P.G.)
| | - Juan Monroy-Nieto
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (J.M.-N.); (J.B.); (D.M.E.)
| | - Jolene Bowers
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (J.M.-N.); (J.B.); (D.M.E.)
| | - David M. Engelthaler
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; (J.M.-N.); (J.B.); (D.M.E.)
| | - Liliwe Shuping
- Center for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2192, South Africa; (R.E.M.); (T.G.M.); (E.v.S.); (L.S.); (N.P.G.)
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Center for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
- Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Research and Educational Network, Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Nelesh P. Govender
- Center for Healthcare-Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2192, South Africa; (R.E.M.); (T.G.M.); (E.v.S.); (L.S.); (N.P.G.)
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
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de Sousa HR, de Frazão S, de Oliveira Júnior GP, Albuquerque P, Nicola AM. Cryptococcal Virulence in Humans: Learning From Translational Studies With Clinical Isolates. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:657502. [PMID: 33968804 PMCID: PMC8097041 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.657502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis, an invasive mycosis caused by Cryptococcus spp, kills between 20% and 70% of the patients who develop it. There are no vaccines for prevention, and treatment is based on a limited number of antifungals. Studying fungal virulence and how the host responds to infection could lead to new therapies, improving outcomes for patients. The biggest challenge, however, is that experimental cryptococcosis models do not completely recapitulate human disease, while human experiments are limited due to ethical reasons. To overcome this challenge, one of the approaches used by researchers and clinicians is to: 1) collect cryptococcal clinical isolates and associated patient data; 2) study the set of isolates in the laboratory (virulence and host-pathogen interaction variables, molecular markers); 3) correlate the laboratory and patient data to understand the roles fungal attributes play in the human disease. Here we review studies that have shed light on the cryptococcosis pathophysiology using these approaches, with a special focus on human disease. Isolates that more effectively evade macrophage responses, that secrete more laccase, melanize faster and have larger capsules in the cerebrospinal fluid are associated with poorer patient outcomes. Additionally, molecular studies have also shown that cryptococcal clades vary in virulence, with clinical impact. Limitations of those studies include the use of a small number of isolates or retrospectively collected clinical data. The fact that they resulted in very important information is a reflection of the impact this strategy has in understanding cryptococcosis and calls for international collaboration that could boost our knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herdson Renney de Sousa
- Microbiology, Immunology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Stefânia de Frazão
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Pathogenic Fungi, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Getúlio Pereira de Oliveira Júnior
- Division of Allergy and Inflammation, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Patrícia Albuquerque
- Microbiology, Immunology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Pathogenic Fungi, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - André Moraes Nicola
- Microbiology, Immunology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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The interplay of phenotype and genotype in Cryptococcus neoformans disease. Biosci Rep 2021; 40:226594. [PMID: 33021310 PMCID: PMC7569153 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20190337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening meningitis primarily in immunocompromised individuals. In order to survive and proliferate during infection, C. neoformans must adapt to a variety of stresses it encounters within the host. Patient outcome depends on the interaction between the pathogen and the host. Understanding the mechanisms that C. neoformans uses to facilitate adaptation to the host and promote pathogenesis is necessary to better predict disease severity and establish proper treatment. Several virulence phenotypes have been characterized in C. neoformans, but the field still lacks a complete understanding of how genotype and phenotype contribute to clinical outcome. Furthermore, while it is known that C. neoformans genotype impacts patient outcome, the mechanisms remain unknown. This lack of understanding may be due to the genetic heterogeneity of C. neoformans and the extensive phenotypic variation observed between and within isolates during infection. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of how the various genotypes and phenotypes observed in C. neoformans correlate with human disease progression in the context of patient outcome and recurrence. We also postulate the mechanisms underlying the genetic and phenotypic changes that occur in vivo to promote rapid adaptation in the host.
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Associations between Cryptococcus Genotypes, Phenotypes, and Clinical Parameters of Human Disease: A Review. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7040260. [PMID: 33808500 PMCID: PMC8067209 DOI: 10.3390/jof7040260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Cryptococcus contains two primary species complexes that are significant opportunistic human fungal pathogens: C. neoformans and C. gattii. In humans, cryptococcosis can manifest in many ways, but most often results in either pulmonary or central nervous system disease. Patients with cryptococcosis can display a variety of symptoms on a spectrum of severity because of the interaction between yeast and host. The bulk of our knowledge regarding Cryptococcus and the mechanisms of disease stem from in vitro experiments and in vivo animal models that make a fair attempt, but do not recapitulate the conditions inside the human host. To better understand the dynamics of initiation and progression in cryptococcal disease, it is important to study the genetic and phenotypic differences in the context of human infection to identify the human and fungal risk factors that contribute to pathogenesis and poor clinical outcomes. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the different clinical presentations and health outcomes that are associated with pathogenicity and virulence of cryptococcal strains with respect to specific genotypes and phenotypes.
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Abstract
Although we have recognized cryptococcosis as a disease entity for well over 100 years, there are many details about its pathogenesis which remain unknown. A major barrier to better understanding is the very broad range of clinical and pathological forms cryptococcal infections can take. One such form has been historically called the cryptococcal granuloma, or the cryptococcoma. These words have been used to describe essentially any mass lesion associated with infection, due to their presumed similarity to the quintessential granuloma, the tubercle in tuberculosis. Although clear distinctions between tuberculosis and cryptococcal disease have been discovered, cellular and molecular studies still confirm some important parallels between these 2 diseases and what we now call granulomatous inflammation. In this review, we shall sketch out some of the history behind the term “granuloma” as it pertains to cryptococcal disease, explore our current understanding of the biology of granuloma formation, and try to place that understanding in the context of the myriad pathological presentations of this infection. Finally, we shall summarize the role of the granuloma in cryptococcal latency and present opportunities for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Ristow
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - J. Muse Davis
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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30
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Moorhouse AJ, Moreno-Lopez R, Gow NAR, Hijazi K. Clonal evolution of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida dubliniensis at oral niche level in health and disease. J Oral Microbiol 2021; 13:1894047. [PMID: 33796227 PMCID: PMC7971237 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2021.1894047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:Candida species have long been recognised as aetiological agents of opportunistic infections of the oral mucosa, and more recently, as players of polymicrobial interactions driving caries, periodontitis and oral carcinogenesis. Methods: We studied the clonal structure of Candida spp. at oral niche resolution in patients (n = 20) with a range of oral health profiles over 22 months. Colonies from oral micro-environments were examined with multilocus sequencing typing. Results:Candida spp. identified were C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. dubliniensis. Increased propensity for micro-variations giving rise to multiple diploid strain types (DST), as a result of loss of heterozygosity, was observed among C. albicans clade 1 isolates compared to other clades. Micro-variations among isolates were also observed in C. dubliniensis contra to expectations of stable population structures for this species. Multiple sequence types were retrieved from patients without clinical evidence of oral candidosis, while single sequence types were isolated from oral candidosis patients. Conclusion: This is the first study to describe the clonal population structure, persistence and stability of Candida spp. at oral niche level. Future research investigating links between Candida spp. clonality and oral disease should recognise the propensity to micro-variations amongst oral niches in C. albicans and C. dubliniensis identified here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Moorhouse
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.,School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Rosa Moreno-Lopez
- Institute of Dentistry, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Neil A R Gow
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.,Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at The University of Exeter, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Karolin Hijazi
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.,Institute of Dentistry, School of Medicine Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
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Diagnostic Accuracy of the Biosynex CryptoPS Cryptococcal Antigen Semiquantitative Lateral Flow Assay in Patients with Advanced HIV Disease. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 59:JCM.02307-20. [PMID: 33087436 PMCID: PMC7771453 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02307-20] [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: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
High cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) titers in blood are associated with subclinical meningitis and mortality in CrAg-positive individuals with advanced HIV disease (AHD). We evaluated a novel semiquantitative lateral flow assay (LFA), CryptoPS, that may be able to identify individuals with high CrAg titers in a cohort of AHD patients undergoing CrAg screening. In a prospective cohort of patients with AHD (CD4 cell count, ≤200/μl) receiving CD4 count testing, whole blood was tested for CrAg by CryptoPS and the IMMY LFA; the two assays were conducted by two different operators, each blind to the results of the other assay. High cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) titers in blood are associated with subclinical meningitis and mortality in CrAg-positive individuals with advanced HIV disease (AHD). We evaluated a novel semiquantitative lateral flow assay (LFA), CryptoPS, that may be able to identify individuals with high CrAg titers in a cohort of AHD patients undergoing CrAg screening. In a prospective cohort of patients with AHD (CD4 cell count, ≤200/μl) receiving CD4 count testing, whole blood was tested for CrAg by CryptoPS and the IMMY LFA; the two assays were conducted by two different operators, each blind to the results of the other assay. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of CryptoPS were assessed against the IMMY LFA as a reference. CryptoPS low-titer (T1 band) and high-titer (T2 band) results were compared with IMMY LFA titers obtained through serial dilution. A total of 916 specimens were tested. The sensitivity of the CryptoPS assay was 61.0% (25/41) (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 44.5 to 75.8%), its specificity was 96.6% (845/875) (95% CI, 95.1 to 97.7%), its PPV was 45.5% (95% CI, 32.0 to 59.4%), and its NPV was 98.1% (95% CI, 97.0 to 98.9%). All (16/16) CryptoPS false-negative results were obtained for samples with IMMY titers of ≤1:160. Of 29 patients (30 specimens) who tested positive by CryptoPS but negative by the IMMY LFA, none developed cryptococcal meningitis over 3 months of follow-up without fluconazole. Median CrAg titers were 1:20 (interquartile range [IQR], 0 to 1:160) in CryptoPS T1-positive samples and 1:2,560 (IQR, 1:1,280 to 1:10,240) in T2-positive samples. We conclude that the diagnostic accuracy of the CryptoPS assay was suboptimal in the context of CrAg screening, with poor sensitivity at low CrAg titers. However, the CryptoPS assay reliably detected individuals with high titers, which are associated with poor outcomes.
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Thanh LT, Toffaletti DL, Tenor JL, Giamberardino C, Sempowski GD, Asfaw Y, Phan HT, Van Duong A, Trinh NM, Thwaites GE, Ashton PM, Chau NVV, Baker SG, Perfect JR, Day JN. Assessing the virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans causing meningitis in HIV infected and uninfected patients in Vietnam. Med Mycol 2020; 58:1149-1161. [PMID: 32196550 PMCID: PMC7657091 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously observed a substantial burden of cryptococcal meningitis in Vietnam atypically arising in individuals who are uninfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This disease was associated with a single genotype of Cryptococcus neoformans (sequence type [ST]5), which was significantly less common in HIV-infected individuals. Aiming to compare the phenotypic characteristics of ST5 and non-ST5 C. neoformans, we selected 30 representative Vietnamese isolates and compared their in vitro pathogenic potential and in vivo virulence. ST5 and non-ST5 organisms exhibited comparable characteristics with respect to in vitro virulence markers including melanin production, replication at 37°C, and growth in cerebrospinal fluid. However, the ST5 isolates had significantly increased variability in cellular and capsular sizing compared with non-ST5 organisms (P < .001). Counterintuitively, mice infected with ST5 isolates had significantly longer survival with lower fungal burdens at day 7 than non-ST5 isolates. Notably, ST5 isolates induced significantly greater initial inflammatory responses than non-ST5 strains, measured by TNF-α concentrations (P < .001). Despite being generally less virulent in the mouse model, we hypothesize that the significant within strain variation seen in ST5 isolates in the tested phenotypes may represent an evolutionary advantage enabling adaptation to novel niches including apparently immunocompetent human hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lam Tuan Thanh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Dena L Toffaletti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine and Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennifer L Tenor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine and Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles Giamberardino
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine and Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gregory D Sempowski
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yohannes Asfaw
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hai Trieu Phan
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Anh Van Duong
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen Mai Trinh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Guy E Thwaites
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip M Ashton
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Stephen G Baker
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic immunology and Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - John R Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine and Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jeremy N Day
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Asia Africa Programme, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Population diversity and virulence characteristics of Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complexes isolated during the pre-HIV-pandemic era. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008651. [PMID: 33017391 PMCID: PMC7535028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis has become a major global health problem since the advent of the HIV pandemic in 1980s. Although its molecular epidemiology is well-defined, using isolates recovered since then, no pre-HIV-pandemic era epidemiological data exist. We conducted a molecular epidemiological study using 228 isolates of the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complexes isolated before 1975. Genotypes were determined by URA5 restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and multi-locus sequence typing. Population genetics were defined by nucleotide diversity measurements, neutrality tests, and recombination analysis. Growth at 37°C, melanin synthesis, capsule production, and urease activity as virulence factors were quantified. The pre-HIV-pandemic isolates consisted of 186 (81.5%) clinical, 35 (15.4%) environmental, and 7 (3.1%) veterinary isolates. Of those, 204 (89.5%) belonged to C. neoformans VNI (64.0%), VNII (14.9%) and VNIV (10.5%) while 24 (10.5%) belonged to C. gattii VGIII (7.5%), VGI (2.6%) and VGII (0.5%). Among the 47 sequence types (STs) identified, one of VNII and 8 of VNIV were novel. ST5/VNI (23.0%) in C. neoformans and ST75/VGIII (25.0%) in C. gattii were the most common STs in both species complexes. Among C. neoformans, VNIV had the highest genetic diversity (Hd = 0.926) and the minimum recombination events (Rm = 10), and clinical isolates had less genetic diversity (Hd = 0.866) than environmental (Hd = 0.889) and veterinary isolates (Hd = 0.900). Among C. gattii, VGI had a higher nucleotide diversity (π = 0.01436) than in VGIII (π = 0.00328). The high-virulence genotypes (ST5/VNI and VGIIIa/serotype B) did not produce higher virulence factors levels than other genotypes. Overall, high genetic variability and recombination rates were found for the pre-HIV-pandemic era among strains of the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complexes. Whole genome analysis and in vivo virulence studies would clarify the evolution of the genetic diversity and/or virulence of isolates of the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complexes during the pre- and post-HIV-pandemic eras. Since the beginning of the HIV pandemic in 1980, infections due to isolates of the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complexes have caused many deaths worldwide, especially in the HIV-infected population. Annually, approximately one-third, of all AIDS-related deaths,—representing more than 1,000,000 cases,—are caused by cryptococcosis. Since 1980, extensive molecular epidemiological surveys have been conducted, and the VNI molecular type has been found to be responsible for more than 90% of cryptococcosis in HIV patients. Whether the high VNI prevalence is associated with the HIV pandemic remains controversial as information on the isolates of the pre-HIV pandemic era is lacking. Therefore, this study of the molecular epidemiology and in vitro characteristics of the strains from the pre-HIV-pandemic era was undertaken. We found that only 64% of cryptococcosis was caused by VNI, and 9 sequence types existed only in the pre-HIV pandemic era. Unlike what was already known about the strains collected during the HIV pandemic era, ST5 and VGIIIa,—supposedly high virulence genotypes,—did not express higher virulence factors than other genotypes. These results implied that the HIV pandemic altered both the molecular epidemiology and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complexes have been altered during HIV pandemic. However, detailed mechanism of these alteration remains to be deciphered further.
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Vélez N, Escandón P. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of clinical and environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in six departments of Colombia reveals high genetic diversity. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2020; 53:e20190422. [PMID: 32935773 PMCID: PMC7491559 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0422-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The average annual incidence of cryptococcosis in Colombia is 0.23 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the general population, and 1.1 cases per 1000 in inhabitants with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In addition, the causal fungus has been isolated from the environment, with serotypes A-B and C in different regions. This study aims to determine the genetic association between clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans/C. gattii in Colombia. METHODS Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to identify possible clones, providing information about the epidemiology, ecology, and etiology of this pathogen in Colombia. RESULTS A total of 110 strains, both clinical (n=61) and environmental (n=49), with 21 MLST sequence types (ST) of C. neoformans (n=14STs) and C. gattii (n=7STs) were identified. The STs which shared clinical and environmental isolate sources were grouped in different geographical categories; for C. neoformans, ST93 was identified in six departments, ST77 in five departments; and for C. gattii, ST25 was identified in three departments and ST79 in two. CONCLUSIONS High genetic diversity was found in isolates of C. neoformans/gattii by MLST, suggesting the presence of environmental sources harboring strains which may be sources of infection for humans, especially in immunocompromised patients; these data contribute to the information available in the country on the distribution and molecular variability of C. neoformans and C. gattii isolates recovered in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norida Vélez
- Grupo de Microbiología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Patricia Escandón
- Grupo de Microbiología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
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Okurut S, Boulware DR, Olobo J, Meya DB. Landmark clinical observations and immunopathogenesis pathways linked to HIV and Cryptococcus fatal central nervous system co-infection. Mycoses 2020; 63:840-853. [PMID: 32472727 PMCID: PMC7416908 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis remains one of the leading causes of death among HIV-infected adults in the fourth decade of HIV era in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to 10%-20% of global HIV-related deaths. Despite widespread use and early induction of ART among HIV-infected adults, incidence of cryptococcosis remains significant in those with advanced HIV disease. Cryptococcus species that causes fatal infection follows systemic spread from initial environmental acquired infection in lungs to antigenaemia and fungaemia in circulation prior to establishment of often fatal disease, cryptococcal meningitis in the CNS. Cryptococcus person-to-person transmission is uncommon, and deaths related to blood infection without CNS involvement are rare. Keen to the persistent high mortality associated with HIV-cryptococcal meningitis, seizures are common among a third of the patients, altered mental status is frequent, anaemia is prevalent with ensuing brain hypoxia and at autopsy, brain fibrosis and infarction are evident. In addition, fungal burden is 3-to-4-fold higher in those with seizures. And high immune activation together with exacerbated inflammation and elevated PD-1/PD-L immune checkpoint expression is immunomodulated phenotypes elevated in CSF relative to blood. Lastly, though multiple Cryptococcus species cause disease in this setting, observations are mostly generalised to cryptococcal infection/meningitis or regional dominant species (C neoformans or gattii complex) that may limit our understanding of interspecies differences in infection, progression, treatment or recovery outcome. Together, these factors and underlying mechanisms are hypotheses generating for research to find targets to prevent infection or adequate therapy to prevent persistent high mortality with current optimal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Okurut
- Research DepartmentInfectious Diseases InstituteMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
- Department of MicrobiologySchool of Biomedical SciencesCollege of Health SciencesMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
| | - David R. Boulware
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International MedicineDepartment of MedicineUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesota
| | - Joseph Olobo
- Department of Immunology and Molecular BiologySchool of Biomedical SciencesCollege of Health SciencesMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
| | - David B. Meya
- Research DepartmentInfectious Diseases InstituteMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International MedicineDepartment of MedicineUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesota
- Department of MedicineSchool of MedicineCollege of Health SciencesMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
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Li Y, Zou M, Yin J, Liu Z, Lu B. Microbiological, Epidemiological, and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Cryptococcal Meningitis at a Tertiary Hospital in China: A 6-Year Retrospective Analysis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1837. [PMID: 32849436 PMCID: PMC7403485 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis, mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii species complexes, is a lethal infection in both immunosuppressive and immunocompetent populations. We characterized 110 Cryptococcus strains collected from Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in China during the 6-year study period between 2013 and 2018, and performed their antifungal susceptibility testing. Furthermore, the clinical features, laboratory and imaging data, treatment strategies and outcomes of the subjects were retrospectively analyzed. Of 110 Cryptococcus strains, C. neoformans species complexes accounted for 96.4% (106/110), including C. neoformans sensu stricto (VNI molecular type, 95.5%, 105/110) and Cryptococcus deneoformans (VNIV molecular type, 0.9%, 1/110), and Cryptococcus deuterogattii (VGII molecular type) accounted for 3.6% (4/110). The strains were further classified into 17 individual sequence types (STs) by using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). 89.1% (98/110) were represented by ST5; seven C. deuterogattii strains and one Cryptococcus deneoformans strain were assigned as ST7 and ST260, respectively. Antifungal minimal inhibitory concentrations above the epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) were found mainly in C. neoformans species complexes strains (nine for amphotericin B, nine for fluconazole and seven for 5-fluorocytosine). Furthermore, 60.9% (67/110) of the subjects were male, and 40.0% (44/110) did not have underlying diseases. Hepatic diseases (hepatitis/HBV carrier status and cirrhosis) were the most common underlying health conditions (11.8%, 13/110), followed by autoimmune disorders (10.9%, 12/110) and chronic kidney disease (6.36%, 7/110). Only 4.5% (5/110) of the patients were HIV/AIDS positives. For clinical presentation, headache (77.3%, 85/110), fever (47.3%, 52/110), and stiff neck (40.9%, 45/110) were commonly observed. The mortality rate was 35.0% (36/103). In conclusion, our data were characterized by a high prevalence of the Cryptococcal meningitis patients without HIV/AIDS and other underlying health conditions, a relatively high non-wild-type rate of fluconazole and amphotericin B resistance, and low genetic diversity in Cryptococcus strains. The present study will provide evidence for further improvement of the diagnosis and treatment of cryptococcosis in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbing Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingxiang Zou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ziqing Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Binghuai Lu
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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Wongsuk T, Homkaew A, Faksri K, Thongnak C. Multi-locus Sequence Typing and Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Cryptococcus neoformans Isolated from Clinical Specimens in Vajira Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Mycopathologia 2020; 185:503-514. [PMID: 32440853 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00456-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The basidiomycete yeast Cryptococcus neoformans causes disease in immunocompromized patients. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) technology provides insights into the molecular epidemiology of C. neoformans. However, the number of such studies is limited. Here we used WGS and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to determine the genetic diversity of C. neoformans isolates and genetic structures of their populations among patients admitted to a single hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Seven isolates from six patients collected during 1 year were identified as C. neoformans sensu stricto according to colony morphology, microscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and nucleotide sequence analysis of internal transcribed sequences. These isolates were sensitive to the antifungal drugs amphotericin B, fluconazole, 5-flucytosine, voriconazole, itraconazole and posaconazole and were mating type α and molecular type VNI. MLST analysis identified ST4, ST5 and ST6. We further employed WGS to determine the genetic diversity and relationships of C. neoformans isolated here combined with C. neoformans sequences data acquired from a public database (n = 42). We used the data to construct a phylogenetic tree. WGS provided additional genomics data and achieved high discriminatory power for identifying C. neoformans isolates isolated in Thailand. This report further demonstrates the applicability of WGS analysis for conducting molecular epidemiology and provides insight into the genetic diversity of C. neoformans isolates from one hospital in Thailand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanwa Wongsuk
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, 681 Samsen Road, Vajira District, Dusit, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand
| | - Anchalee Homkaew
- Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Central Laboratory and Blood Bank, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kiatichai Faksri
- Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Chuphong Thongnak
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, 681 Samsen Road, Vajira District, Dusit, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand.
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Coelho C, Farrer RA. Pathogen and host genetics underpinning cryptococcal disease. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2020; 105:1-66. [PMID: 32560785 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2020.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a severe fungal disease causing 220,000 cases of cryptococcal meningitis yearly. The etiological agents of cryptococcosis are taxonomically grouped into at least two species complexes belonging to the genus Cryptococcus. All of these yeasts are environmentally ubiquitous fungi (often found in soil, leaves and decaying wood, tree hollows, and associated with bird feces especially pigeon guano). Infection in a range of animals including humans begins following inhalation of spores or aerosolized yeasts. Recent advances provide fundamental insights into the factors from both the pathogen and its hosts which influence pathogenesis and disease. The complex interactions leading to disease in mammalian hosts have also updated from the availability of better genomic tools and datasets. In this review, we discuss recent genetic research on Cryptococcus, covering the epidemiology, ecology, and evolution of Cryptococcus pathogenic species. We also discuss the insights into the host immune response obtained from the latest genetic modified host models as well as insights from monogenic disorders in humans. Finally we highlight outstanding questions that can be answered in the near future using bioinformatics and genomic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Coelho
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Rhys A Farrer
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
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Derivatives of the Antimalarial Drug Mefloquine Are Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Molecules with Activity against Drug-Resistant Clinical Isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.02331-19. [PMID: 31907188 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02331-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The antifungal pharmacopeia is critically small, particularly in light of the recent emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens, such as Candida auris Here, we report that derivatives of the antimalarial drug mefloquine have broad-spectrum antifungal activity against pathogenic yeasts and molds. In addition, the mefloquine derivatives have activity against clinical isolates that are resistant to one or more of the three classes of antifungal drugs currently used to treat invasive fungal infections, indicating that they have a novel mechanism of action. Importantly, the in vitro toxicity profiles obtained using human cell lines indicated that the toxicity profiles of the mefloquine derivatives are very similar to those of the parent mefloquine, despite being up to 64-fold more active against fungal cells. In addition to direct antifungal activity, subinhibitory concentrations of the mefloquine derivatives inhibited the expression of virulence traits, including filamentation in Candida albicans and capsule formation/melanization in Cryptococcus neoformans Mode/mechanism-of-action experiments indicated that the mefloquine derivatives interfere with both mitochondrial and vacuolar function as part of a multitarget mechanism of action. The broad-spectrum scope of activity, blood-brain barrier penetration, and large number of previously synthesized analogs available combine to support the further optimization and development of the antifungal activity of this general class of drug-like molecules.
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Lee GHA, Arthur I, Merritt A, Leung M. Molecular types of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in Western Australia and correlation with antifungal susceptibility. Med Mycol 2020; 57:1004-1010. [PMID: 30649538 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myy161] [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: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes have a worldwide distribution; however, there is geographical variation in the prevalence of different molecular types. Additionally, antifungal susceptibility differences between molecular types have been demonstrated. This study investigates the distribution of cryptococcal molecular types among human clinical isolates over a 10-year period from a Western Australian population. Molecular type was determined based on polymorphisms in the phospholipase gene locus identified through amplification and sequencing. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were identified for fluconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, posaconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B. Most isolates were C. neoformans complex (42) of which over half were molecular type VNI (22) followed by VNII (20). Among the remaining C. gattii complex (13) the majority were VGI (11) with VGII (2) uncommonly found. All isolates demonstrated low MICs to antifungal agents including fluconazole. Geometric mean MIC values against 5-fluorocytosine for VNI (1.741 mg/l) were significantly higher than those for VGI (0.47 mg/l, P = .002). Similarly fluconazole geometric mean MICs against fluconazole for VNI (2.3 mg/l) were significantly higher than VNII (0.87 mg/l, P = .036). These data reveal the presence of four molecular types (VNI, VNII, VGI and VGII) within clinical Western Australian cryptococcal isolates and, while elevated antifungal MICs were not encountered, significant molecular type dependent differences in susceptibility were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gar-Hing Andrew Lee
- Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, QEII Medical Centre, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009
| | - Ian Arthur
- Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, QEII Medical Centre, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009
| | - Adam Merritt
- Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, QEII Medical Centre, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009
| | - Michael Leung
- Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, QEII Medical Centre, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009
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Taverna CG, Bosco-Borgeat ME, Mazza M, Vivot ME, Davel G, Canteros CE. Frequency and geographical distribution of genotypes and mating types of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes in Argentina. Rev Argent Microbiol 2020; 52:183-188. [PMID: 31948732 DOI: 10.1016/j.ram.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this work was to know the frequency and geographical distribution of genotypes and mating types of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes isolated from human infections in Argentina during the period from April 2009 to April 2011. A multicenter study was conducted, in which 372 isolates were obtained from 61 laboratories throughout the country. Of those, 98.8% of the isolates belonged to the C. neoformans species complex and 1.1% to the C. gattii species complex. Genotype VNI (MATα) was the most frequently isolated (n=326, 87.6%), followed by VNII (MATα) (n=22, 5.9%), the recently described VNII-VNIV (aADα) hybrid (n=14, 3.8%), VNIV (MATα) (n=4, 1.1%), VNIII (αADa) hybrid (n=1, 0.3%), and VNIII (αADα) hybrid (n=1, 0.3%). The Argentine Central region showed the greatest number of cases and genotype diversity. Interestingly, a relative high frequency was observed in genotype VNII (MATα) in the Cuyo, Northeast and Northwest regions and, also in VNII-VNIV (aADα) hybrids in the Northwest region. C. gattii species complex was isolated at a low rate; 3 VGI (MATα) and 1 VGII (MATα) isolates were obtained from the Northwest and Central regions. In conclusion, this study shows that genotype frequencies seem to vary among regions in Argentina and reveals a relatively high frequency of rare hybrids in the Northwest region. Further regional clinical and environmental studies may help to elucidate if those variations in frequencies are associated with the existence of regional ecological niches or any other regional factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Giselle Taverna
- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - María Eugenia Bosco-Borgeat
- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Mazza
- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matías Ezequiel Vivot
- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Graciela Davel
- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristina Elena Canteros
- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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- Mycology Department, INEI (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas) "Dr. C. G. Malbrán," ANLIS (Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Kassi FK, Drakulovski P, Bellet V, Roger F, Chabrol A, Krasteva D, Doumbia A, Landman R, Kakou A, Reynes J, Delaporte E, Menan HEI, Bertout S. Cryptococcus genetic diversity and mixed infections in Ivorian HIV patients: A follow up study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007812. [PMID: 31738768 PMCID: PMC6886875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity analyses were performed by sero-genotyping and multi-locus sequence typing on 252 cryptococcal isolates from 13 HIV-positive Ivorian patients followed-up for cryptococcal meningitis. Antifungal susceptibility analyses were performed according to the CLSI M27A3 method. The majority (67.8%) of the isolates belonged to the Cryptococcus neoformans (serotype A) species complex, with 93% being VNI and 7% being VNII. Cryptococcus deuterogattii VGII (serotype B) represented 16.7% of the strains, while C. neoformans/C. deneoformans VNIII (serotype AD) hybrids accounted for 15.1% of the strains. One strain (0.4%) was not identifiable. Nine different sequence types (STs 5, 6, 23, 40, 93, 207, 311, and a new ST; 555) were identified in the C. neoformans population, while the C. deuterogattii population comprised the single ST 173. The distribution of the strains showed that, while the majority of patients (9/13) harboured a single sequence type, 4 patients showed mixed infections. These patients experienced up to 4 shifts in strain content either at the species and/or ST level during their follow-up. This evolution of diversity over time led to the co-existence of up to 3 different Cryptococcus species and 4 different ST within the same individual during the course of infection. Susceptibility testing showed that all strains were susceptible to amphotericin B while 3.6% of them had a none-wild type phenotype to 5-flucytosine. Concerning fluconazole, 2.9% of C.neoformans serotype A strains and 2.4% of C. deuterogattii had also respectively a none-wild type phenotype to this molecule. All C. neoformans x C. deneoformans serotype AD hybrids had however a wild type phenotype to fluconazole. The present study showed that mixed infections exist and could be of particular importance for care outcomes. Indeed, (i) the different Cryptococcus species are known to exhibit different virulence and different susceptibility patterns to antifungal drugs and (ii) the strains genetic diversity within the samples may influence the susceptibility to antifungal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulgence Kondo Kassi
- Université Félix Houphouet-Boigny, Unité des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Pascal Drakulovski
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, IRD UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Université de Montpellier, Unité TransVIHMI, Montpellier, France
| | - Virginie Bellet
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, IRD UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Université de Montpellier, Unité TransVIHMI, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Roger
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, IRD UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Université de Montpellier, Unité TransVIHMI, Montpellier, France
| | - Amélie Chabrol
- Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CH Sud Francilien, Corbeil, France
| | - Donika Krasteva
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, IRD UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Université de Montpellier, Unité TransVIHMI, Montpellier, France
| | - Adama Doumbia
- Université Félix Houphouet-Boigny, Unité des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Roland Landman
- Institut de Médecine et Epidémiologie Appliquée (IMEA), Fondation Léon M’Ba, Paris, France
| | - Aka Kakou
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Jacques Reynes
- CHU Gui de Chauliac, Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, IRD UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Université de Montpellier, Unité TransVIHMI, Montpellier, France
| | - Eric Delaporte
- TransVIHMI/INSERM1175, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hervé Eby Ignace Menan
- Diagnostic and Research Center on AIDS and Other Infectious Diseases (CeDReS), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Sébastien Bertout
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, IRD UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Université de Montpellier, Unité TransVIHMI, Montpellier, France
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Buscaino A. Chromatin-Mediated Regulation of Genome Plasticity in Human Fungal Pathogens. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E855. [PMID: 31661931 PMCID: PMC6896017 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human fungal pathogens, such as Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans, are a public health problem, causing millions of infections and killing almost half a million people annually. The ability of these pathogens to colonise almost every organ in the human body and cause life-threating infections relies on their capacity to adapt and thrive in diverse hostile host-niche environments. Stress-induced genome instability is a key adaptive strategy used by human fungal pathogens as it increases genetic diversity, thereby allowing selection of genotype(s) better adapted to a new environment. Heterochromatin represses gene expression and deleterious recombination and could play a key role in modulating genome stability in response to environmental changes. However, very little is known about heterochromatin structure and function in human fungal pathogens. In this review, I use our knowledge of heterochromatin structure and function in fungal model systems as a road map to review the role of heterochromatin in regulating genome plasticity in the most common human fungal pathogens: Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Buscaino
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent CT2 7NJ, UK.
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Setianingrum F, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Denning DW. Pulmonary cryptococcosis: A review of pathobiology and clinical aspects. Med Mycol 2019; 57:133-150. [PMID: 30329097 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myy086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary cryptococcosis is an important opportunistic invasive mycosis in immunocompromised patients, but it is also increasingly seen in immunocompetent patients. The main human pathogens are Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii, which have a worldwide distribution. In contrast to cryptococcal meningitis, pulmonary cryptococcosis is still underdiagnosed because of limitations in diagnostic tools. It can mimic lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia, and other pulmonary mycoses both clinically and radiologically. Pulmonary nodules are the most common radiological feature, but these are not specific to pulmonary cryptococcosis. The sensitivity of culture of respiratory samples for Cryptococcus is poor and a positive result may also reflect colonisation. Cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) with lateral flow device is a fast and sensitive test and widely used on serum and cerebrospinal fluid, but sera from patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis are rarely positive in the absence of disseminated disease. Detection of CrAg from respiratory specimens might assist the diagnosis of pulmonary cryptococcosis but there are very few data. Molecular detection techniques such as multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) could also provide better sensitivity but these still require validation for respiratory specimens. The first line of treatment for pulmonary cryptococcosis is fluconazole, or amphotericin B and flucytosine for those with central nervous system involvement. Pulmonary cryptococcosis worsens the prognosis of cryptococcal meningitis. In this review, we summarize the biological aspects of Cryptococcus and provide an update on the diagnosis and management of pulmonary cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Findra Setianingrum
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK
- Parasitology Department, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Riina Rautemaa-Richardson
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester, ECMM Centre of Excellence in Clinical and Laboratory Mycology and Clinical Studies, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Wythenshawe Hospital Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - David W Denning
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Wythenshawe Hospital Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- National Aspergillosis Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
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Corrêa Pinheiro M, Dos Reis DST, de Brito MTFM, Simões Quaresma JA. Cryptococcosis in the Amazon: A current overview and future perspectives. Acta Trop 2019; 197:105023. [PMID: 31181189 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The Amazon region or regional Amazon complex includes nine states of Brazil with an area of around 5.1 million km, which is almost 60% of the country's territory. The sanitary conditions in this region are reflected by illness resulting from substandard living conditions and limited access to prevention measures and health care, in addition to the epidemiological profile of cryptococcosis. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on cryptococcosis in the Amazon region and its future prospects. Thus, the present study searched the Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System, Virtual Health Library, PubMed, and CAPES Periodical Portal for studies on cryptococcosis in the Amazon region, with an established search period of 1999 to 2018, using the search terms "Cryptococcus," "cryptococcosis," and "Amazon" with the Boolean operator AND. Out of 275 articles found, 29 were selected according to the inclusion criteria and were categorized into clinical and environmental studies. Analysis of these studies verified the increased occurrence of infection by Cryptococcus gattii at younger ages in the supposedly immunocompetent and the predominance of C. neoformans in HIV-positive patients. No occurrence of Cryptococcus laurentii infection has been identified in the literature. The regional endemic molecular types included VNI, VNII, and VGII. Similarly, the strain sequence type (ST) allelic profiles, including ST5, 7, 20, and 264-268, were identified in C. gattii isolated in Amazonas state. VNI isolates are a genetically monotypic group, with ST93 being highly important in HIV individuals. In urban environments, cryptococcosis agents were isolated in samples collected fromtrees, wooden houses, and dove excrement. Due to the absence of a control program and specific epidemiological surveillance for the primary disease, cryptococcal meningitis has become a failure parameter in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. The findings of the present study underscore the need for programs to track cryptococcal antigens and identify high-risk populations in order to reduce the morbimortality of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Corrêa Pinheiro
- Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Rua dos Mundurucus, 4487, CEP 66073-000, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Danielle Saraiva Tuma Dos Reis
- Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Rua dos Mundurucus, 4487, CEP 66073-000, Belém, Pará, Brazil; Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus Universitário do Guamá, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01, CEP 66075-110, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | | | - Juarez Antonio Simões Quaresma
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Pará, Av. Generalíssimo Deodoro, 92, CEP 66055-240, Belém, Pará, Brazil
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Gerstein AC, Jackson KM, McDonald TR, Wang Y, Lueck BD, Bohjanen S, Smith KD, Akampurira A, Meya DB, Xue C, Boulware DR, Nielsen K. Identification of Pathogen Genomic Differences That Impact Human Immune Response and Disease during Cryptococcus neoformans Infection. mBio 2019; 10:e01440-19. [PMID: 31311883 PMCID: PMC6635531 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01440-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient outcomes during infection are due to a complex interplay between the quality of medical care, host immunity factors, and the infecting pathogen's characteristics. To probe the influence of pathogen genotype on human survival, immune response, and other parameters of disease, we examined Cryptococcus neoformans isolates collected during the Cryptococcal Optimal Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Timing (COAT) Trial in Uganda. We measured human participants' survival, meningitis disease parameters, immunologic phenotypes, and pathogen in vitro growth characteristics. We compared those clinical data to whole-genome sequences from 38 C. neoformans isolates of the most frequently observed sequence type (ST), ST93, in our Ugandan participant population and to sequences from an additional 18 strains of 9 other sequence types representing the known genetic diversity within the Ugandan Cryptococcus clinical isolates. We focused our analyses on 652 polymorphisms that were variable among the ST93 genomes, were not in centromeres or extreme telomeres, and were predicted to have a fitness effect. Logistic regression and principal component analysis identified 40 candidate Cryptococcus genes and 3 hypothetical RNAs associated with human survival, immunologic response, or clinical parameters. We infected mice with 17 available KN99α gene deletion strains for these candidate genes and found that 35% (6/17) directly influenced murine survival. Four of the six gene deletions that impacted murine survival were novel. Such bedside-to-bench translational research identifies important candidate genes for future studies on virulence-associated traits in human Cryptococcus infections.IMPORTANCE Even with the best available care, mortality rates in cryptococcal meningitis range from 20% to 60%. Disease is often due to infection by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans and involves a complex interaction between the human host and the fungal pathogen. Although previous studies have suggested genetic differences in the pathogen impact human disease, it has proven quite difficult to identify the specific C. neoformans genes that impact the outcome of the human infection. Here, we take advantage of a Ugandan patient cohort infected with closely related C. neoformans strains to examine the role of pathogen genetic variants on several human disease characteristics. Using a pathogen whole-genome sequencing approach, we showed that 40 C. neoformans genes are associated with human disease. Surprisingly, many of these genes are specific to Cryptococcus and have unknown functions. We also show deletion of some of these genes alters disease in a mouse model of infection, confirming their role in disease. These findings are particularly important because they are the first to identify C. neoformans genes associated with human cryptococcal meningitis and lay the foundation for future studies that may lead to new treatment strategies aimed at reducing patient mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleeza C Gerstein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Katrina M Jackson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tami R McDonald
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yina Wang
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Benjamin D Lueck
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sara Bohjanen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kyle D Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Andrew Akampurira
- Infectious Diseases Institute and School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David B Meya
- Infectious Diseases Institute and School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Chaoyang Xue
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - David R Boulware
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kirsten Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Ponzio V, Chen Y, Rodrigues AM, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Medina-Pestana JO, Colombo AL, Perfect JR. Genotypic diversity and clinical outcome of cryptococcosis in renal transplant recipients in Brazil. Emerg Microbes Infect 2019; 8:119-129. [PMID: 30866766 PMCID: PMC6455115 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2018.1562849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Genotypic diversity and fluconazole susceptibility of 82 Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolates from 60 renal transplant recipients in Brazil were characterized. Clinical characteristics of the patients and prognostic factors were analysed. Seventy-two (87.8%) isolates were C. neoformans and 10 (12.2%) were C. gattii. VNI was the most common molecular type (40 cases; 66.7%), followed by VNII (9 cases; 15%), VGII (6 cases; 10%), VNB (4 cases; 6.7%) and VNI/II (1 case; 1.7%). The isolates showed a high genetic diversity in the haplotype network and six new sequence types were described, most of them for VNB. There was a bias towards skin involvement in the non-VNI population (P = .012). VGII isolates exhibited higher fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentrations compared to C. neoformans isolates (P = 0.008). The 30-day mortality rate was 38.3%, and it was significantly associated with fungemia and absence of headache. Patients infected with VGII had a high mortality rate at 90 days (66.7%). A variety of molecular types produce disease in renal transplant recipients in Brazil and highlighted by VGII and VNB. We report the clinical appearance and impact of the molecular type, fluconazole susceptibility of the isolates, and clinical characteristics on patient outcome in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius Ponzio
- a Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Yuan Chen
- b Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA
| | - Anderson Messias Rodrigues
- c Laboratory of Emerging Fungal Pathogens, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology , Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Jennifer L Tenor
- b Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA
| | - Dena L Toffaletti
- b Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA
| | - José Osmar Medina-Pestana
- d Hospital do Rim Oswaldo Ramos Foundation, Discipline of Nephrology , Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Lopes Colombo
- a Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | - John R Perfect
- b Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine , Duke University School of Medicine , Durham , NC , USA
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Thanh LT, Phan TH, Rattanavong S, Nguyen TM, Duong AV, Dacon C, Hoang TN, Nguyen LPH, Tran CTH, Davong V, Nguyen CVV, Thwaites GE, Boni MF, Dance D, Ashton PM, Day JN. Multilocus sequence typing of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii from Laos in a regional and global context. Med Mycol 2019; 57:557-565. [PMID: 30339200 PMCID: PMC6581559 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myy105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis causes approximately 180 000 deaths each year in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Patients with other forms of immunosuppression are also at risk, and disease is increasingly recognized in apparently immunocompetent individuals. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, responsible for the majority of cases, is distributed globally. We used the consensus ISHAM Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme to define the population structure of clinical C. neoformans var. grubii isolates from Laos (n = 81), which we placed into the global context using published MLST data from other countries (total N = 1047), including a reanalysis of 136 Vietnamese isolates previously reported. We observed a phylogeographical relationship in which the Laotian population was similar to its neighbor Thailand, being dominated (83%) by Sequence Types (ST) 4 and 6. This phylogeographical structure changed moving eastwards, with Vietnam's population consisting of an admixture of isolates dominated by the ST4/ST6 (35%) and ST5 (48%) lineages. The ST5 lineage is the predominant ST reported from China and East Asia, where it accounts for >90% of isolates. Analysis of genetic distance (Fst) between different populations of C. neoformans var. grubii supports this intermediate structure of the Vietnamese population. The pathogen and host diversity reported from Vietnam provide the strongest epidemiological evidence of the association between ST5 and HIV-uninfected patients. Regional anthropological genetic distances suggest diversity in the C. neoformans var. grubii population across Southeast Asia is driven by ecological rather than human host factors. Where the ST5 lineage is present, disease in HIV-uninfected patients is to be expected.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sayaphet Rattanavong
- Laos-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | | | | | - Cherrelle Dacon
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK
| | | | - Lan Phu Huong Nguyen
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam
- Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Viengmon Davong
- Laos-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | | | - Guy E Thwaites
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, UK
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, UK
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - David Dance
- Laos-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, UK
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Jeremy N Day
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Vietnam
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, UK
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Tsai WC, Lien CY, Lee JJ, Huang CR, Tsai NW, Chang CC, Lu CH, Chang WN. The clinical characteristics of adult cryptococcal meningitis patients who died within one year of treatment with a focus on those with early mortality. J Clin Neurosci 2019; 67:80-84. [PMID: 31227408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a serious infectious disease of the central nervous system, and associated brain injuries can be found in the very early stage of disease. In this study, 92 adult CM patients (59 men, 33 women; median age 54.66 years, range 20-86 years) were enrolled, and their clinical, laboratory, neuroimaging features and therapeutic outcomes were analyzed. Two main clinical comparative analyses of the clinical characteristics and laboratory and neuroimaging features were made in this study. The first compared clinical differences between the survivors and non-survivors of all enrolled patients, and the second compared differences between the following three groups: Group I, the patients who died within 14 days of initiating treatment; Group II, the patients who died within 15 days to 1 year of initiating treatment, and Group III, the patients who survived for more than 1 year after initiating treatment. Prognostic factors including initial altered consciousness, increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate level and the presence of cryptococcemia were significantly different between the different groups. The patients with early mortality had a higher CSF lactate level and higher rate of cryptococcemia. The presence of cryptococcemia was an important prognostic factor, and the patients with cryptococcemia had a higher incidence of positive CSF India ink stain. Further large-scale studies are needed to delineate the clinical and laboratory features of CM patients with early mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Chen Tsai
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yi Lien
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Jun Lee
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Information Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Ren Huang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Wen Tsai
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Chih Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsien Lu
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Neng Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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Forche A, Solis NV, Swidergall M, Thomas R, Guyer A, Beach A, Cromie GA, Le GT, Lowell E, Pavelka N, Berman J, Dudley AM, Selmecki A, Filler SG. Selection of Candida albicans trisomy during oropharyngeal infection results in a commensal-like phenotype. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008137. [PMID: 31091232 PMCID: PMC6538192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
When the fungus Candida albicans proliferates in the oropharyngeal cavity during experimental oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), it undergoes large-scale genome changes at a much higher frequency than when it grows in vitro. Previously, we identified a specific whole chromosome amplification, trisomy of Chr6 (Chr6x3), that was highly overrepresented among strains recovered from the tongues of mice with OPC. To determine the functional significance of this trisomy, we assessed the virulence of two Chr6 trisomic strains and a Chr5 trisomic strain in the mouse model of OPC. We also analyzed the expression of virulence-associated traits in vitro. All three trisomic strains exhibited characteristics of a commensal during OPC in mice. They achieved the same oral fungal burden as the diploid progenitor strain but caused significantly less weight loss and elicited a significantly lower inflammatory host response. In vitro, all three trisomic strains had reduced capacity to adhere to and invade oral epithelial cells and increased susceptibility to neutrophil killing. Whole genome sequencing of pre- and post-infection isolates found that the trisomies were usually maintained. Most post-infection isolates also contained de novo point mutations, but these were not conserved. While in vitro growth assays did not reveal phenotypes specific to de novo point mutations, they did reveal novel phenotypes specific to each lineage. These data reveal that during OPC, clones that are trisomic for Chr5 or Chr6 are selected and they facilitate a commensal-like phenotype. Opportunistic fungal pathogens commonly acquire extra copies of chromosomes that can provide a fitness benefit under acute stress such as exposure to antifungal agents but how these extra copies affect fungal life-style and interactions with their hosts is poorly understood. Here we show that in C. albicans the acquisition of specific whole chromosome trisomies during oropharyngeal infection in mice results in a commensal-like phenotype. Our data indicate that trisomies of chromosomes 5 and 6 alter several related virulence-associated traits that affect how the host recognizes and responds to C. albicans during oropharyngeal infection, thereby inducing this commensal-like phenotype. Whole genome sequencing revealed that trisomies were mostly maintained in subsequent oral infections and that de novo mutations that arose were not shared among strains. We hypothesize that both in vivo and in vitro phenotypes are likely the result of allelic imbalance of specific genes on the trisomic chromosomes, rather than due to whole chromosome trisomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Forche
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AF); (SGF)
| | - Norma V. Solis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, United States of America
| | - Marc Swidergall
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, United States of America
| | - Robert Thomas
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Alison Guyer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Annette Beach
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Gareth A. Cromie
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Giang T. Le
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Emily Lowell
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, United States of America
| | - Norman Pavelka
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Judith Berman
- School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Aimeé M. Dudley
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Anna Selmecki
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Scott G. Filler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AF); (SGF)
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