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Ma X, Li J, Li Z, Chen B, Ling Z, Feng S, Zhong Z, Peng G, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Gu Y. Analysis of fungal diversity in the feces of Arborophila rufipectus. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1430518. [PMID: 39469585 PMCID: PMC11514364 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1430518] [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: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Intestinal fungal composition plays a crucial role in modulating host health, and thus is of great significance in the conservation of endangered bird species. However, research on gut fungal composition in birds is limited. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine gut fungal community and potential fecal pathogen composition in wild Arborophila rufipectus. Methods Fecal samples were collected from the habitats of wild A. rufipectus and Lophura nycthemera (a widely distributed species belonging to the same family as A. rufipectus) in summer and autumn. Thereafter, RNA was collected and the internal transcribed spacer rRNA gene was sequenced via high-throughput sequencing to investigate seasonal variations in intestinal core fungi, microbial fungi, and potential pathogenic fungi. Results The gut microbiota of A. rufipectus and L. nycthemera were highly similar and mainly consisted of three phyla, Ascomycota (58.46%), Basidiomycota (28.80%), and Zygomycota (3.56%), which accounted for 90.82% of the fungal community in all the samples. Further, the predominant genera were Ascomycota_unclassified (12.24%), Fungi_unclassified (8.37%), Davidiella (5.18%), Helotiales_unclassified (2.76%), Wickerhamomyces (1.84%), and Pleosporales_unclassified (1.14%), and the potential fecal pathogens identified included Candida, Cryptococcus, Trichosporon, and Malassezia. Conclusion Our results provide evidence that the diversity of intestinal fungi in the endangered species, A. rufipectus, is similar to that in the common species, L. nycthemera, and may serve as a basis for monitoring the status of A. rufipectus and for developing conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Junshu Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiguo Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Benping Chen
- Sichuan Laojunshan National Nature Reserve, Yibin, China
| | - Zhenwen Ling
- Sichuan Laojunshan National Nature Reserve, Yibin, China
| | - Shenglin Feng
- Sichuan Laojunshan National Nature Reserve, Yibin, China
| | - Zhijun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guangneng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ya Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaozhang Jiang
- Bioengineering Department, Sichuan Water Conservancy Vocational College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Gu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Tao Z, Pu Q, Shen Y, Zhang S, Wang C, Hu Z, Jin Y, Zhu X, Weng Y. Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of pulmonary and extrapulmonary cryptococcosis. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:1018. [PMID: 39304813 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09895-9] [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: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryptococcosis is progressively acknowledged among people, irrespective of the human with or without immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This change in epidemiology has been recorded in recent years, prompting closer examination and a broader understanding of the disease manifestations and risk factors. METHODS The data of cryptococcal infections in China during 11 years were retrospectively analyzed. According to the position of infection, the patients were categorized into the pulmonary infection group and extrapulmonary infection group. The composition of the two groups was compared, and the potential risk factors of disseminated infection were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to analyze the prognostic risk factors of the disease. RESULTS A total of 165 patients were enrolled. 113 (68.5%) were male, and the age was 47.49 (18-82) years. 101 cases (61.2%) had a normal immune function and 64 cases (38.8%) had impaired immune function. 45 patients had extrapulmonary infection, involving the central nervous system, bone and joint, skin and bloodstream, and 120 patients had simple pulmonary infection. The mortality of the extrapulmonary infection group (48.9%) was significantly higher than that of the pulmonary infection group (0.8%). According to univariate logistic regression analysis, immune status (hazard ratio [HR], 4.476; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.725-11.618; P = 0.002), infection position ([HR], 113.826; [CI], 14.607-886.967; P < 0.001), white blood cell count, ([HR],1.209;[CI], 1.054-1.386; P = 0.007), hemoglobin ([HR], 0.970; [CI], 0.955-0.986; P < 0.001), platelet count ([HR], 0.993; [CI], 0.987-0.999; P = 0.026), neutrophil percentage ([HR], 1.115; [CI], 1.065-1.168; P < 0.001), lymphocyte percentage ([HR], 0.875; [CI], 0.827-0.927; P < 0.001), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) ([HR], 1.144; [CI], 1.072-1.221; P < 0.001), monocyte percentage ([HR], 0.752; [CI], 0.618-0.915; P = 0.004) were related to the prognosis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the infection position was remained related to the prognosis with statistical significance ([HR], 0.018; [CI], 0.001-0.384; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Extrapulmonary infection of Cryptococcosis is an important risk factor for prognosis. High levels of neutrophils and NLR, and low levels of lymphocytes and monocytes may lead to disseminated infection of Cryptococcosis. Further studies are needed to reduce the occurrence rate of extrapulmonary infection and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Tao
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Qinqin Pu
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Yongli Shen
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Sicheng Zhang
- Department of Acute and Critical Care Medicine, Hefei First People's Hospital, Hefei, 230001, China
| | - Chuanyou Wang
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Zhe Hu
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Yi Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangsu Provincial Rongjun Hospital, Wuxi, 214000, China
| | - Xiaowu Zhu
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230000, China.
| | - Yali Weng
- Department of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
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3
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Rocha MF, Bain HDC, Stone N, Meya D, Darie L, Toma AK, Lunn MPT, Mehta AR, Coughlan C. Reframing the clinical phenotype and management of cryptococcal meningitis. Pract Neurol 2024:pn-2024-004133. [PMID: 38997136 DOI: 10.1136/pn-2024-004133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis is an important global health problem, resulting from infection with the yeast Cryptococcus, especially Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, which cause a spectrum of disease ranging from pulmonary and skin lesions to life-threatening central nervous system involvement. The diagnosis and management of cryptococcal meningitis have substantially changed in recent years. Cryptococcal meningitis often occurs in people living with advanced HIV infection, though in high-income countries with robust HIV detection and treatment programmes, it increasingly occurs in other groups, notably solid-organ transplant recipients, other immunosuppressed patients and even immunocompetent hosts. This review outlines the clinical presentation, management and prognosis of cryptococcal meningitis, including its salient differences in people living with HIV compared with HIV-negative patients. We discuss the importance of managing raised intracranial pressure and highlight the advantages of improved multidisciplinary team working involving neurologists, infectious disease specialists and neurosurgeons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Francisca Rocha
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Hamish D C Bain
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Neil Stone
- Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David Meya
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lucia Darie
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ahmed K Toma
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Michael P T Lunn
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Arpan R Mehta
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- MRC Protein Phosphorylation & Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Charles Coughlan
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Pham T, Shi R, Ambati S, Meagher R, Lin X. All hands on Dec: Treating cryptococcosis with dectin decorated liposomes loaded with antifungals. iScience 2024; 27:110349. [PMID: 39055951 PMCID: PMC11269288 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110349] [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] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Systemic cryptococcosis is often fatal even with the current antifungal therapy and there is no vaccine available. Induction therapy with amphotericin B (AmB) is essential for its treatment, which can be either in the form of AmB deoxycholate at 1 mg/kg/day for 7 days or a single dose of liposomal AmB (AmB-LLs) at 10 mg/kg, both in combination with flucytosine. AmB is highly toxic and it is imperative to further increase its efficacy without increasing its toxicity. Previously, we developed a targeted antifungal drug delivery system (DectiSome) that uses liposomes decorated with host-pathogen receptor dectins to target AmB to fungal cells. Here, we showed that a single dose of Dectin-2 coated liposomal AmB, relative to AmB-LLs, reduced fungal burden and prolonged animal survival in the murine model of systemic cryptococcosis. Our results demonstrate that DectiSomes are a promising antifungal delivery system that could improve cryptococcosis therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuyetnhu Pham
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ran Shi
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Suresh Ambati
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Richard Meagher
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Cao C, Luo L, Hu Y, Huang T, Gao S, Ling C, He H, Guo Y. Nomogram to Predict the Outcome of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Among Patients with Non-HIV Cryptococcal Meningitis. World Neurosurg 2024; 186:e305-e315. [PMID: 38552785 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.03.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is widely acknowledged as a treatment option for managing intracranial hypertension resulting from non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Nonetheless, there is currently no consensus on the appropriate surgical indications for this procedure. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct a preoperative evaluation of patient characteristics and predict the outcome of the VP shunt to guide clinical treatment effectively. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 85 patients with non-HIV CM who underwent VP shunt surgery at our hospital. The analysis involved studying demographic data, preoperative clinical manifestations, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characteristics, and surgical outcomes and comparisons between before and after surgery. A nomogram was developed and evaluated. RESULTS The therapy outcomes of 71 patients improved, whereas 14 cases had worse outcomes. Age, preoperative cryptococcus count, and preoperative CSF protein levels were found to influence the surgical outcome. The nomogram exhibited exceptional predictive performance (area under the curve = 0.896, 95% confidence interval: 0.8292-0.9635). Internal validation confirmed the nomogram's excellent predictive capabilities. Moreover, decision curve analysis demonstrated the nomogram's practical clinical utility. CONCLUSIONS The surgical outcome of VP shunt procedures patients with non-HIV CM was associated with age, preoperative cryptococcal count, and preoperative CSF protein levels. We developed a nomogram that can be used to predict surgical outcomes in patients with non-HIV CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng'an Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lun Luo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanjun Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tengchao Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuangqi Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cong Ling
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyong He
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The third affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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Ma L, Zhang X, Li C, Ma X, Zhao X, Zhao X, Zhang P, Zhu X. A U2 snRNP-specific protein, U2A', is involved in stress response and drug resistance in Cryptococcus deneoformans. Biochimie 2024; 220:179-187. [PMID: 37806618 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The spliceosome, a large complex containing five conserved small ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) U1, U2, U4, U5 and U6, plays important roles in precursor messenger RNA splicing. However, the function and mechanism of the spliceosomal snRNPs have not been thoroughly studied in the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus deneoformans. In this study, we identified a U2A' homologous protein as a component of the cryptococcal U2 snRNP, which was encoded by the LEA1 gene. Using the "suicide" CRISPR-Cas9 tool, we deleted the LEA1 gene in C. deneoformans JEC21 strain and obtained the disruption mutant lea1Δ. The mutant showed a hypersensitivity to 0.03 % sodium dodecyl sulfate, as well as disordered chitin distribution in cell wall observed with Calcofluor White staining, which collectively illustrated the function of U2A' in maintenance of cell wall integrity. Further examination showed that lea1Δ displayed a decreased tolerance to lower or elevated temperatures, osmotic pressure and oxidative stress. The lea1Δ still exhibited susceptibility to geneticin and 5-flucytosine, and increased resistance to ketoconazole. Even, the mutant had a reduced capsule, and the virulence of lea1Δ in the Galleria mellonella model was decreased. Our results indicate that the U2A'-mediated RNA-processing has a particular role in the processing of gene products involved in response to stresses and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xueqing Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Chenxi Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xueru Zhao
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Xudong Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering Drug and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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7
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Jiang YK, Zhou LH, Cheng JH, Zhu JH, Luo Y, Li L, Zhu M, Zhu RS, Qiu WJ, Zhao HZ, Wang X, Huang JT, Cornely OA, Zhang WH, Zhu LP. Anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies predict outcome of cryptococcal meningitis in patients not infected with HIV: A cohort study. Clin Microbiol Infect 2024; 30:660-665. [PMID: 38295989 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2024.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the seroprevalence of anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) autoantibodies in non-HIV cryptococcal meningitis (CM) and assess its predictive value for survival. METHODS This is a retrospective study of 12 years of non-HIV CM. We detected serum anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies, and evaluated the clinical features and outcomes, together with the exploration of prognostic factors for 2-week and 1-year survival. RESULTS A total of 584 non-HIV CM cases were included. 301 of 584 patients (51.5%) were phenotypically healthy. 264 Cryptococcus isolates were obtained from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture, of which 251 were identified as C. neoformans species complex and 13 as C. gattii species complex. Thirty-seven of 455 patients (8.1%) tested positive for serum anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies. Patients with anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies were more susceptible to C. gattii species complex infection (66.7% vs. 6.3%; p < 0.001) and more likely to develop pulmonary mass lesions with a diameter >3 centimetres (42.9% vs. 6.5%; p 0.001). Of 584 patients 16 (2.7%) died within 2 weeks, 77 of 563 patients (13.7%) died at 1 year, and 93 of 486 patients (19.1%) lived with disabilities at 1 year. Univariant Cox regression analysis found that anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies were associated with lower 1-year survival (HR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.34-5.27; p 0.005). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modelling revealed that CSF cryptococcal antigen titres ≥1:1280 were associated with both, reduced 2-week and 1-year survival rates (HR, 5.44; 95% CI, 1.23-24.10; p 0.026 and HR, 5.09; 95% CI, 1.95-13.26; p 0.001). DISCUSSION Presence of serum anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies is predictive of poor outcomes, regardless of host immune status and the causative Cryptococcus species complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Kui Jiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Hong Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Hui Cheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Hao Zhu
- The Center for Medical Mycology, Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Luo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Li
- The Center for Medical Mycology, Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zhu
- The Center for Medical Mycology, Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong-Sheng Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Jia Qiu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua-Zhen Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Tian Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Oliver A Cornely
- Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, and Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wen-Hong Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Ping Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Qu J, Lv X. Cryptococcal meningitis in apparently immunocompetent patients. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:76-86. [PMID: 36562731 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2159786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is an invasive fungal disease that currently poses a threat to human health worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Although CM mainly occurs in HIV-positive patients and other immunocompromised patients, it is also increasingly seen in seemingly immunocompetent hosts. The clinical characteristics of CM between immunocompromised and immunocompetent populations are different. However, few studies have focussed on CM in immunocompetent individuals. This review summarizes the clinical characteristics of apparently immunocompetent CM patients in terms of aetiology, immune pathogenesis, clinical presentation, laboratory data, imaging findings, treatment strategies and prognosis. It is of great significance to further understand the disease characteristics of CM, explore new treatment strategies and improve the prognosis of CM in immunocompetent individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Qu
- Center of Infectious Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoju Lv
- Center of Infectious Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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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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Specht CA, Lam WC, Hester MM, Lourenco D, Levitz SM, Lodge JK, Upadhya R. Chitosan-Deficient Cryptococcus as Whole-Cell Vaccines. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2775:393-410. [PMID: 38758333 PMCID: PMC11521572 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3722-7_27] [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] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Creating a safe and effective vaccine against infection by the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is an appealing option that complements the discovery of new small molecule antifungals. Recent animal studies have yielded promising results for a variety of vaccines that include live-attenuated and heat-killed whole-cell vaccines, as well as subunit vaccines formulated around recombinant proteins. Some of the recombinantly engineered cryptococcal mutants in the chitosan biosynthesis pathway are avirulent and very effective at conferring protective immunity. Mice vaccinated with these avirulent chitosan-deficient strains are protected from a lethal pulmonary infection with C. neoformans strain KN99. Heat-killed derivatives of the vaccination strains are likewise effective in a murine model of infection. The efficacy of these whole-cell vaccines, however, is dependent on a number of factors, including the inoculation dose, route of vaccination, frequency of vaccination, and the specific mouse strain used in the study. Here, we present detailed methods for identifying and optimizing various factors influencing vaccine potency and efficacy in various inbred mouse strains using a chitosan-deficient cda1Δcda2Δcda3Δ strain as a whole-cell vaccine candidate. This chapter describes the protocols for immunizing three different laboratory mouse strains with vaccination regimens that use intranasal, orotracheal, and subcutaneous vaccination routes after the animals were sedated using two different types of anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Specht
- Department of Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Woei C Lam
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Pfizer STL, Chesterfield, MO, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maureen M Hester
- Department of Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Diana Lourenco
- Department of Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Stuart M Levitz
- Department of Medicine, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer K Lodge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rajendra Upadhya
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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11
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Tugume L, Ssebambulidde K, Kasibante J, Ellis J, Wake RM, Gakuru J, Lawrence DS, Abassi M, Rajasingham R, Meya DB, Boulware DR. Cryptococcal meningitis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2023; 9:62. [PMID: 37945681 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-023-00472-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes cause meningoencephalitis with high fatality rates and considerable morbidity, particularly in persons with deficient T cell-mediated immunity, most commonly affecting people living with HIV. Whereas the global incidence of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis (HIV-CM) has decreased over the past decade, cryptococcosis still accounts for one in five AIDS-related deaths globally due to the persistent burden of advanced HIV disease. Moreover, mortality remains high (~50%) in low-resource settings. The armamentarium to decrease cryptococcosis-associated mortality is expanding: cryptococcal antigen screening in the serum and pre-emptive azole therapy for cryptococcal antigenaemia are well established, whereas enhanced pre-emptive combination treatment regimens to improve survival of persons with cryptococcal antigenaemia are in clinical trials. Short courses (≤7 days) of amphotericin-based therapy combined with flucytosine are currently the preferred options for induction therapy of cryptococcal meningitis. Whether short-course induction regimens improve long-term morbidity such as depression, reduced neurocognitive performance and physical disability among survivors is the subject of further study. Here, we discuss underlying immunology, changing epidemiology, and updates on the management of cryptococcal meningitis with emphasis on HIV-associated disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Tugume
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Kenneth Ssebambulidde
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John Kasibante
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jayne Ellis
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rachel M Wake
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Jane Gakuru
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David S Lawrence
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Mahsa Abassi
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Radha Rajasingham
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David B Meya
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David R Boulware
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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12
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Bilal H, Zhang D, Shafiq M, Khan MN, Chen C, Khan S, Wang Q, Cai L, Awais M, Hu H, Zeng Y. Cryptococcosis in Southern China: Insights from a Six-Year Retrospective Study in Eastern Guangdong. Infect Drug Resist 2023; 16:4409-4419. [PMID: 37435235 PMCID: PMC10332366 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s417968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Cryptococcosis is a fatal infection that can affect both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, and it is little understood in China's various regions. This research aimed to look at the epidemiology, risk factors, and antifungal susceptibility pattern of Cryptococcus neoformans in eastern Guangdong, China. Methods A six-year (2016-2022) retrospective study was conducted at Meizhou People's Hospital, China. Demographical, clinical, and laboratory data of cryptococcal patients were collected from hospital records and statistically analyzed using the chi-square and ANOVA tests. Results Overall, 170 cryptococcal infections were recorded, of which meningitis accounted for 78 (45.88%), cryptococcemia for 50 (29.41%), and pneumonia for 42 (24.7%). The number of cases increased 8-fold during the study duration. The median age of patients was 58 years (Inter quartile range: 47-66), and the high proportion of cases was from the male population (n = 121, 71.17%). The underlying diseases were identified only in 60 (35.29%) patients, of which 26 (15.29%) were severely immunocompromised, and 26 (15.29%) others were mildly immunocompromised. A statistically significant difference was reported for chronic renal failure, and anemia (p < 0.05) persisted in cases of three infection types. A high number of non-wild type (NWT) isolates were found against amphotericin B (n=13/145, 8.96%), followed by itraconazole (n=7/136, 5.15%) and voriconazole (n=4/158, 2.53%). Only six isolates (3.79%) were multidrug-resistant, four of which were from cryptococcemia patients. Compared to meningitis and pneumonia, cryptococcemia revealed a higher percentage of NWT isolates (p < 0.05). Conclusion In high-risk populations, cryptococcal infections require ongoing monitoring and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazrat Bilal
- Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongxing Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Meizhou Dongshan Hospital, Meizhou, Guangdong Province, 514023, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Dermatology, Meizhou People’s Hospital, Meizhou, Guangdong Province, 514023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Shafiq
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Nadeem Khan
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Canhua Chen
- Clinical Laboratory, Meizhou People’s Hospital, Meizhou, Guangdong Province, 514023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sabir Khan
- Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Medical-Surgical and Experimental Sciences University of Sassari Neurology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria (AOU), Sassari, Italy
| | - Lin Cai
- Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Awais
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haibin Hu
- The First Clinical Medical college, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 523808, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuebin Zeng
- Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Dermatology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610021, People’s Republic of China
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13
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Macrae C, Ellis J, Keddie SH, Falconer J, Bradley J, Keogh R, Baerenbold O, Hopkins H, Jarvis JN. Diagnostic performance of the IMMY cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay on serum and cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of cryptococcosis in HIV-negative patients: a systematic review. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:209. [PMID: 37024842 PMCID: PMC10080957 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08135-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence of cryptococcosis amongst HIV-negative persons is increasing. Whilst the excellent performance of the CrAg testing in people living with HIV is well described, the diagnostic performance of the CrAg LFA has not been systematically evaluated in HIV-negative cohorts on serum or cerebrospinal fluid. METHODS We performed a systematic review to characterise the diagnostic performance of IMMY CrAg® LFA in HIV-negative populations on serum and cerebrospinal fluid. A systematic electronic search was performed using Medline, Embase, Global Health, CENTRAL, WoS Science Citation Index, SCOPUS, Africa-Wide Information, LILACS and WHO Global Health Library. Studies were screened and data extracted from eligible studies by two independent reviewers. A fixed effect meta-analysis was used to estimate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS Of 447 records assessed for eligibility, nine studies met our inclusion criteria, including 528 participants overall. Amongst eight studies that evaluated the diagnostic performance of the IMMY CrAg® LFA on serum, the pooled median sensitivity was 96% (95% Credible Interval (CrI) 68-100%) with a pooled specificity estimate of 96% (95%CrI 84-100%). Amongst six studies which evaluated the diagnostic performance of IMMY CrAg® LFA on CSF, the pooled median sensitivity was 99% (95%CrI 95-100%) with a pooled specificity median of 99% (95%CrI 95-100%). CONCLUSIONS This review demonstrates a high pooled sensitivity and specificity for the IMMY CrAg® LFA in HIV-negative populations, in keeping with findings in HIV-positive individuals. The review was limited by the small number of studies. Further studies using IMMY CrAg® LFA in HIV-negative populations would help to better determine the diagnostic value of this test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catriona Macrae
- Infectious Diseases Unit, NHS Lanarkshire, University Hospital Monklands, Monkscourt Avenue, Airdrie, ML6 0JS UK
| | - Jayne Ellis
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, PO Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Suzanne H. Keddie
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Jane Falconer
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - John Bradley
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Ruth Keogh
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Oliver Baerenbold
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Heidi Hopkins
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Joseph N. Jarvis
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
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14
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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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15
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Del Poeta M, Wormley FL, Lin X. Host populations, challenges, and commercialization of cryptococcal vaccines. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011115. [PMID: 36757929 PMCID: PMC9910758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines are one of the most effective public health tools to prevent and manage infectious diseases. Since the first clinical use of vaccines in the late 18th century, many vaccines have been successfully developed to combat bacterial and viral infections, including the most recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, there remains no vaccine that is clinically available to treat or prevent invasive fungal diseases, including cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. This fungal disease is uniformly fatal without treatment and has a global mortality rate of over 70%. Despite a dire need for an effective cryptococcal vaccine, there are many scientific and economic challenges to overcome prior to making it a reality. Here, we discuss some of these challenges as well as steps that the community is taking for commercialization of effective cryptococcal vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America,Division of Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America,Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America,Veteran Administration Medical Center, Northport, New York, United States of America,* E-mail: (MDP); (FLW); (XL)
| | - Floyd L. Wormley
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America,* E-mail: (MDP); (FLW); (XL)
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America,* E-mail: (MDP); (FLW); (XL)
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16
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Wang A, Liu J, Liu J, Yang L, Yao S, Qin BE, Su Z, Xu X, Xia H, Jiang Y, Peng F. Reversible deafness and blindness in Cryptococcus gattii meningitis with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: A case report and literature review. J Mycol Med 2023; 33:101357. [PMID: 36716508 DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2023.101357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii (C. gattii) has been considered a leading cause of meningitis in immunocompetent hosts in tropical and subtropical regions. Visual loss is common but hearing impairment is relatively infrequent in C. gattii meningitis. Notably, there have been limited studies on the etiology, and especially therapy of auditory and ocular complications associated with C. gattii meningitis. Here we report a case of reversible deafness and blindness treated with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery in C. gattii meningitis. This case indicated that elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) may play a role in the concurrent hearing and vision impairments associated with C. gattii meningitis and the early VPS surgery after the initiation of the antifungal therapy may effectively improve both hearing and vision in this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Junyu Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Shiqi Yao
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Bang-E Qin
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Zhihui Su
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Xiaofeng Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China
| | - Han Xia
- Department of Bioinformatics, Hugobiotech, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
| | - Fuhua Peng
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
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Kaur H, Gupta P, Pilania R, Suri D, Singh S, Ghosh A, Rudramurthy SM. Trend of pediatric cryptococcosis in a tertiary care centre and review of literature. Indian J Med Microbiol 2022; 43:18-29. [PMID: 36464534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmmb.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cryptococcosis is one of the most significant systemic fungal infections worldwide. Epidemiological data for pediatric cryptococcosis is very limited. Therefore, we planned this study to determine the burden of cryptococcosis in the pediatric population at our tertiary care center and performed review of literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this retrospective study, all the patients less than 18 years of age were diagnosed with cryptococcosis, from January 2015-June 2021 were included. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory details of all the patients were noted. Furthermore, PubMed and MedLine databases were comprehensively searched for cases of pediatric cryptococcosis till June 2021. RESULTS Of the total 5420 samples from suspected cryptococcosis cases processed at mycology laboratory, a total of 21 episodes of cryptococcosis (0.39%) were identified in 15 pediatric patients. The majority of the patients were apparently immunocompetent (10/15). Central nervous system (CNS) cryptococcosis was the most common presentation, followed by disseminated disease. All the isolates were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans (formerly referred to as C. neoformans var grubii), except one that was identified as Papiliotrema laurentii (formerly referred to as Cryptococcus laurentii). A standard treatment regimen inclusive of induction and maintenance therapy was provided in only five patients. The literature review revealed a total of 125 studies describing 1134 cases, of which 76.4% are reported from outside Asia, the majority (65.7%) restricted to CNS with C. neoformans as the commonest species. The management profile divulged a significantly higher use of standard drug regimen in Asia as compared to the rest of the world. Mortality of 13.32% was noted worldwide. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinico-epidemiological study of pediatric cryptococcosis from India and the largest retrospective study worldwide. The rising incidence among immunocompetent individuals, especially in Asia, is a matter of concern. Clinical suspicion and early diagnosis are the cornerstones for the management of cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsimran Kaur
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
| | | | - Rakesh Pilania
- Advanced Paediatric Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Deepti Suri
- Advanced Paediatric Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Surjit Singh
- Advanced Paediatric Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Anup Ghosh
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shivaprakash M Rudramurthy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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Ruma YN, Keniya MV, Monk BC. Exploring Cryptococcus neoformans CYP51 and Its Cognate Reductase as a Drug Target. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121256. [PMID: 36547589 PMCID: PMC9785471 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121256] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus remains a leading cause of invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised people. Resistance to azole drugs has imposed a further challenge to the effective treatment of such infections. In this study, the functional expression of full-length hexahistidine-tagged Cryptococcus neoformans CYP51 (CnCYP51-6×His), with or without its cognate hexahistidine-tagged NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CnCPR-6×His), in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae host system has been used to characterise these enzymes. The heterologous expression of CnCYP51-6×His complemented deletion of the host CYP51 and conferred increased susceptibility to both short-tailed and long-tailed azole drugs. In addition, co-expression of CnCPR-6×His decreased susceptibility 2- to 4-fold for short-tailed but not long-tailed azoles. Type 2 binding of azoles to CnCYP51-6×His and assay of NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase activity confirmed that the heterologously expressed CnCYP51 and CnCPR are functional. The constructs have potential as screening tools and use in structure-directed antifungal discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmeen N. Ruma
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Mikhail V. Keniya
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Brian C. Monk
- Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Correspondence:
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Cryptococcus neoformans Database in Synthetic Biology Open Language. Microbiol Resour Announc 2022; 11:e0019822. [PMID: 36000855 PMCID: PMC9476951 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00198-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is the etiologic agent of cryptococcosis, a lethal worldwide disease. Synthetic biology could contribute to its better understanding through engineering genetic networks. However, its major challenge is the requirement of accessible genetic parts. The database presented here provides 23 biological parts for this organism in Synthetic Biology Open Language.
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20
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Xu L, Zhu J, Wang X, Zeng G, Gao Z, Liu J. Clinical features and risk factors of surgical site infections in HIV-negative patients with cryptococcal meningitis underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt operations: a retrospective study. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:736. [PMID: 36104794 PMCID: PMC9476323 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07719-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To investigate the clinical features and risk factors of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) associated surgical site infections (SSIs) in HIV-negative patients with cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of HIV-negative patients with CM underwent VPS operation admitted to The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Southwest China over the past 7 years. Results 193 patients were included, of whom 25 (12.95%) had SSIs in 6 (median duration, 1–48 days) days after operation. Compared with patients without SSIs, patient with SSIs tended to be shorter preoperative stay. 52% patients in SSIs group and 25% patients in no-SSIs group underwent VPS operations within 3 days after admission (p = 0.017). Although body temperature and infectious indicators slightly elevated postoperative in both groups. The patients with SSIs experienced more fever; more central nervous system symptoms; higher PCT value and lower cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose in contrast to the no-SSIs group. Multivariate regression analysis found a 2.653 fold increase in the risk of infection for every 1 °C increase in postoperative body temperature. Among the 25 patients, 9 patients had positive culture results, three samples reported to be oxacillin resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci. Conclusions SSIs was one of the serious surgical complications after VPS operation. High body temperature, the occurrence of dizziness and headache, low postoperative hemoglobin are risk factors. Postoperative patients with high fever, high PCT and low CSF glucose should be paid more attention to.
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Smith JA, Quesada T, Alake G, Anger N. Transcontinental Dispersal of Nonendemic Fungal Pathogens through Wooden Handicraft Imports. mBio 2022; 13:e0107522. [PMID: 35766379 PMCID: PMC9426497 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01075-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the viability and diversity of fungi harbored in imported wooden handicraft products sold in six retail stores in Florida, United States. Despite being subjected to trade regulations that require various sterilization/fumigation protocols, our study demonstrates high survival and diversity of fungi in wood products originating from at least seven countries on three continents. Among these fungi were nonendemic plant and human pathogens, as well as mycotoxin producers. Several products that are sold for use in food preparation and consumption harbored a novel (to North America) plant and human pathogen, Paecilomyces formosus. In addition, a high number of species isolated were thermophilic and included halophilic species, suggesting adaptability and selection through current wood treatment protocols that utilize heat and/or fumigation with methyl-bromide. This research suggests that current federal guidelines for imports of wooden goods are not sufficient to avoid the transit of potential live pathogens and demonstrates the need to increase safeguards at both points of origin and entry for biosecurity against introduction from invasive fungal species in wood products. Future import regulations should consider living fungi, their tolerance to extreme conditions, and their potential survival in solid substrates. Mitigation efforts may require additional steps such as more stringent fumigation and/or sterilization strategies and limiting use of wood that has not been processed to remove bark and decay. IMPORTANCE This study, the first of its kind, demonstrates the risk of importation of nonendemic foreign fungi on wooden handicrafts into the United States despite the application of sanitation protocols. Previous risk assessments of imported wood products have focused on potential for introduction of invasive arthropods (and their fungal symbionts) or have focused on other classes of wood products (timber, wooden furniture, garden products, etc.). Little to no attention has been paid to wooden handicrafts and the fungal pathogens (of plants and humans) they may carry. Due to the large size and diversity of this market, the risk for introduction of potentially dangerous pathogens is significant as illustrated by the results of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A. Smith
- School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Tania Quesada
- School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Gideon Alake
- School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Nicolas Anger
- School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Jiang YK, Wang RY, Zhou LH, Cheng JH, Luo Y, Zhu RS, Qiu WJ, Zhao HZ, Wang X, Harrison TS, Zhu LP. Cerebrospinal fluid cytokine and chemokine patterns correlate with prognosis of HIV-uninfected cryptococcal meningitis: A prospective observational study. Front Immunol 2022; 13:993495. [PMID: 36032125 PMCID: PMC9411642 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.993495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immune responses in HIV-uninfected cryptococcal meningitis (CM) have not been well studied. In this study, we aimed to explore the phenotype of CSF immune response during the course of disease and to examine relationships between phenotypes and disease severity. We profiled the CSF immune response in 128 HIV-uninfected CM and 30 pulmonary cryptococcosis patients using a 27-plex Luminex cytokine kit. Principal component analyses (PCA) and logistic regression model were performed. Concentrations of 23 out of 27 cytokines and chemokines in baseline CSF were significantly elevated in CM patients compared with pulmonary cryptococcosis cases. In CM patients with Cryptococcus neoformans infection, IL-1ra, IL-9, and VEGF were significantly elevated in immunocompetent cases. Cytokine levels usually reached peaks within the first 2 weeks of antifungal treatment and gradually decreased over time. PCA demonstrated a co-correlated CSF cytokine and chemokine response consisting of Th1, Th2, and Th17 type cytokines. Prognostic analysis showed that higher scores for the PCs loading pro-inflammatory cytokines, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-12; and anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-4; and chemokines, Eotaxin, FGF-basis, and PDGF-bb; as well as lower scores for the PCs loading RANTES were associated with disease severity, as defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale of <15 or death. In conclusion, combined inflammatory responses in CSF involving both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are upregulated in HIV-uninfected CM, and associated with disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Kui Jiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui-Ying Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Hong Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Hui Cheng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Luo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong-Sheng Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Jia Qiu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua-Zhen Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Thomas Stephen Harrison
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George’s University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Li-Ping Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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The Predominance of a Specific Genotype of Cryptococcus neoformans var. Grubii in China and Japan. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:8162096. [PMID: 36035289 PMCID: PMC9410922 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8162096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background The extensive deployment of molecular genotyping methods is the top reliable keyword to characterize the population genetic structure of C. neoformans in the past decade. However, studies involving genotypic analysis of C. neoformans var. grubii from China and Japan are limited. Objectives We address this challenge to determine the genotype distribution of C. neoformans var. grubii strains from China and Japan. Methods Genotypic analysis of 52 C. neoformans var. grubii isolates was performed using multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) based on the sequence analysis of 3 functional genes. In order to place the herein-studied strains into the global picture, 22 strains randomly selected from the 52 strains studied by MLMT were also analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the orotidine monophosphate pyrophosphorylase gene (URA5-RFLP), M13 PCR-fingerprinting, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Results MLMT classified 46 (88.5%) of the 52 strains as genotype MLMT-17. The high prevalence of the MLMT-17 type was observed for environmental and clinical isolates from China and Japan. URA5-RFLP analysis, M13 PCR-fingerprinting, and MLST showed that most of these belong to the VNI/ST5 (M5) genotype. Conclusions Our study suggests the predominance of a specific genotype of C. neoformans var. grubii in China and Japan.
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Wang R, Luo H, Xin X, Qin B, Huang W. Disseminated Cryptococcal Infection of the Lumbar Spine in an Immunocompetent Man. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:4229-4234. [PMID: 35959147 PMCID: PMC9359805 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s359612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus (C) neoformans infection mainly occurs in immunocompromised hosts, especially those with AIDS, and skeletal infection is a rare presentation of cryptococcosis. We report a rare case of disseminated cryptococcal infection of the lumbar spine in an immunocompetent man caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. The lesion position first appeared on upper right lung and then spread to the fourth lumbar vertebra. The result of periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) and Gomori’s methenamine silver (GMS) staining of the tissue sample matched cryptococcal infection, but multiple culture was negative. Eventually, C. neoformans var. grubii was confirmed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). Current follow-up of 12 months indicated a stable condition after antifungal therapy (fluconazole 400 mg/day) combined with surgery. Our case reminds that physicians must consider the possibility of skeletal cryptococcosis in patients with bone lesions, and NGS might be an excellent option to obtain the most accurate diagnosis in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huating Luo
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Xin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bo Qin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Correspondence: Bo Qin, Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China, Tel + 86 23 89012887, Email
| | - Wenxiang Huang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Wenxiang Huang, Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China, Tel +86 13883533808, Email
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Li H, Ma Y, Zeng Z, Luo L, Li T, Zeng H, Chen Y. Follow-Up of Surgical or Nonsurgical Patients with Pulmonary Cryptococcosis: A Real-World Study. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:3669-3681. [PMID: 35844359 PMCID: PMC9285854 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s352966] [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] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Surgical and medical treatments are applied to pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) in the real world, while the prognosis of different therapies is uncertain. This study investigated diagnosis, real-world therapy, follow-up outcomes, and prognosis factors, aiming to deepen our understanding of PC. Methods Patients pathologically diagnosed with PC were retrospectively reviewed and followed up. Further comparisons and subgroup analyses were conducted in surgical and nonsurgical treatment individuals. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods were used to explore the risk factors associated with treatment failure. Results One hundred and sixty-three patients were included in this study, of whom 92 underwent surgical removal of VATS or open lung surgery (68 of them received postoperative antifungal treatment) and 71 got antifungal drugs only. Compared with nonsurgical patients, surgical patients were more immunocompetent (73 [79.3%] cases vs 33 [46.5%]), showed milder symptoms and more limited pulmonary lesions. Although they had instant treatment response owing to lesions resection, there is no significant advantage in the rate of treatment failure. Multivariable regression showed independent predictive factors associated with treatment failure were polymorphonuclear (PMN)>6.30*109/L, albumin (Alb) <40g/L and antifungal dosage <400mg/d. Further analysis among patients with different immune statuses or symptoms demonstrated that sufficient antifungal dosage could reduce the rate of treatment failure. Conclusion PC showed variable and nonspecific clinical features. PC patients with limited nodules/masses and mild symptoms often led to misdiagnosis and unnecessary lung resections. The potential risk factors including higher PMN and hypoalbuminemia could help clinicians to identify PC patients with poor treatment efficiency at an early stage. To note, sufficient antifungal dosage may improve the treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herui Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiming Ma
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zihang Zeng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Luo
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiao Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Huihui Zeng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China
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The Potential of Fatty Acids and Their Derivatives as Antifungal Agents: A Review. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14030188. [PMID: 35324685 PMCID: PMC8954725 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal contamination presents several problems: in humans, health issues arise from infections with opportunistic filamentous fungi and yeast, while in food, fungi cause spoilage and, in particular, in the case of mycotoxigenic fungi, can cause serious health issues. Several types of fatty acids and their derivatives, oxylipins, have been found to have inhibitory effect towards fungal growth and the production of mycotoxins. The use of fatty acids as antifungals could fulfil consumer’s requests of more natural and environmentally friendly compounds, while being less likely to promote fungal resistance. In addition, due to their nature, fatty acids are easily used as food additives. In this work, we review the most relevant and recent studies on the antifungal ability of fatty acids. We focused on saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and oxylipins, their different impact on fungal inhibition, their proposed modes of action, and their ability to impair mycotoxin production. Applications of fatty acids as antifungals and their limitations are also addressed.
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27
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Identification and Characterization of an Intergenic “Safe Haven” Region in Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus gattii. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8020178. [PMID: 35205930 PMCID: PMC8874978 DOI: 10.3390/jof8020178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii is a primary fungal pathogen, which causes pulmonary and brain infections in healthy as well as immunocompromised individuals. Genetic manipulations in this pathogen are widely employed to study its biology and pathogenesis, and require integration of foreign DNA into the genome. Thus, identification of gene free regions where integrated foreign DNA can be expressed without influencing, or being influenced by, nearby genes would be extremely valuable. To achieve this goal, we examined publicly available genomes and transcriptomes of C. gattii, and identified two intergenic regions in the reference strain R265 as potential “safe haven” regions, named as CgSH1 and CgSH2. We found that insertion of a fluorescent reporter gene and a selection marker at these two intergenic regions did not affect the expression of their neighboring genes and were also expressed efficiently, as expected. Furthermore, DNA integration at CgSH1 or CgSH2 had no apparent effect on the growth of C. gattii, its response to various stresses, or phagocytosis by macrophages. Thus, the identified safe haven regions in C. gattii provide an effective tool for researchers to reduce variation and increase reproducibility in genetic experiments.
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28
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Wang L, Wang Y, Wang F, Zhao M, Gao X, Chen H, Li N, Zhu Q, Liu L, Zhu W, Liu X, Chen Y, Zhou P, Lu Y, Wang K, Zhao W, Liang W. Development and Application of Rapid Clinical Visualization Molecular Diagnostic Technology for Cryptococcus neoformans/ C. gattii Based on Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Combined With a Lateral Flow Strip. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:803798. [PMID: 35096653 PMCID: PMC8790172 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.803798] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans)/C. gattii can easily invade the human central nervous system and cause cryptococcal meningitis (CM). The clinical fatality rate of these fungi is extremely high and causes more than 180,000 deaths worldwide every year. At present, the common clinical identification methods of these fungi are traditional culture methods and Indian ink staining. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time quantitative PCR detecting system (qPCR), mass spectrometry, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) have also been applied to detect these fungus. Due to the rapid progress of meningitis caused by C. neoformans/C. gattii infection, there is a desperate need for fast, sensitive, and on-site detection methods to meet the clinical diagnosis. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a promising isothermal amplification technique that can compensate for the shortcomings of the above techniques, featuring short reaction time, high specificity, and high sensitivity, thus meeting the demand for in-field detection of C.neoformans/C. gattii. In our study, RPA- lateral flow strip (LFS) was used to amplify the capsule-associated gene, CAP64, of C. neoformans/C. gattii, and the primer-probe design was optimized by introducing base mismatches to obtain a specific and sensitive primer-probe combination for clinical testing, and specificity of the detection system was determined for 26 common clinical pathogens. This system was developed to obtain results in 20 min at an isothermal temperature of 37°C with a lower limit of detection as low as 10 CFU/μL or 1 fg/μL. A total of 487 clinical samples collected from multicenter multiplexes were tested to evaluate the detection performance of the RPA-LFS system, which revealed that the system could specifically detect C. neoformans/C. gattii, meeting the need for rapid, specific, and sensitive detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China.,School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Mengdi Zhao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Xuzhu Gao
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Na Li
- Lianyungang Second People's Hospital Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College, Lianyungang, China
| | - Qing Zhu
- Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Lipin Liu
- Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Wenjun Zhu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Xia Liu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Yujiao Chen
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Yingzhi Lu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Weiguo Zhao
- School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
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Yang C, Bian Z, Blechert O, Deng F, Chen H, Li Y, Yang Y, Chen M, Zhan P. High Prevalence of HIV-Related Cryptococcosis and Increased Resistance to Fluconazole of the Cryptococcus neoformans Complex in Jiangxi Province, South Central China. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:723251. [PMID: 34790585 PMCID: PMC8592285 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.723251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cryptococcosis is caused by a fungi of the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii complex and is a severe concern for public health worldwide. C. neoformans species are globally distributed, and C. gattii species are mostly found in America, Australia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Cryptococcus usually infects an immunocompromised population; however, the majority of cryptococcosis in China has been reported in patients without any recognizable immunosuppression, i.e., HIV infection. To date, very few studies investigated this disease in South Central China. Methods The present study recruited 230 clinically suspected cryptococcosis cases in the last 5 years at two hospitals in Jiangxi Province, South Central China. All isolated strains were subjected to multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and phylogenetic analysis. Serotype and mating type were assessed by PCR, in vitro antifungal susceptibility was assessed by the CLSI-M27-A3 protocol. Results A total of 230 patients were identified as infected by C. neoformans, including 12 cases with Talaromyces marneffei coinfection. All seven MLST markers were successfully amplified and used to identify the ST genotype in 199 strains. C. gattii strains were not detected. In contrast to previous studies, 59.3% of the patients had an immunocompromised status, and 61.9% of these patients were infected with HIV. All isolates manifested serotype A and mating type α. The ST5 genotype was common (89.5%) in the Jiangxi region, and three novel genotypes (ST656, ST657, and ST658 in six isolates) were detected in the present study. A total of 86 of the isolates (43.2%) were not sensitive to fluconazole at a MIC50 ≥ 8 μg/ml, most of the isolates were resistant to amphotericin B, and nearly all isolates were resistant to itraconazole and posaconazole. Resistances to 5-Flucytosine and voriconazole were very rare. Conclusions The results of the present study indicated that C. neoformans is the predominant species for cryptococcosis in Jiangxi Province, and a large proportion of the strains were not sensitive to fluconazole, which may be related to treatment failure and relapse. A high percentage of HIV-related C. neoformans infections was reported in Jiangxi, supporting a previous hypothesis that cryptococcosis is more frequent among the HIV-infected population in China. Continuous monitoring of species distribution and antifungal sensitivity is important for the investigation of this severe disease in the Jiangxi region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxi Yang
- Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zeyuan Bian
- Jiangxi Provincial Chest Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Oliver Blechert
- Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Fengyi Deng
- Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yueting Li
- Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yunhong Yang
- Jiangxi Provincial Chest Hospital, Nanchang, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Zhan
- Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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One deep learning local-global model based on CT imaging to differentiate between nodular cryptococcosis and lung cancer which are hard to be diagnosed. Comput Med Imaging Graph 2021; 94:102009. [PMID: 34741847 DOI: 10.1016/j.compmedimag.2021.102009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aim to evaluate a deep learning (DL) model and radiomic model for preoperative differentiation of nodular cryptococcosis from solitary lung cancer in patients with malignant features on CT images. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively recruited 319 patients with solitary pulmonary nodules and suspicious signs of malignancy from three hospitals. All lung nodules were resected, and one by one radiologic-pathologic correlation was performed. A three-dimensional DL model was used for tumor segmentation and extraction of three-dimensional radiomic features. We used the Max-Relevance and Min-Redundancy algorithm and the eXtreme Gradient Boosting algorithm to select the nodular radiomics features. We proposed a DL local-global model, a DL local model and radiomic model to preoperatively differentiate nodular cryptococcosis from solitary lung cancer. The DL local-global model includes information of both nodules and the whole lung, while the DL local model only includes information of solitary lung nodules. Five-fold cross-validation was used to select and validate these models. The prediction performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and calibration curve. A new loss function was applied in our deep learning framework to optimize the area under the ROC curve (AUC) directly. RESULTS 295 patients were enrolled and they were non-symptomatic, with negative tumor markers and fungus markers in blood tests. These patients have not been diagnosed by the combination of CT imaging, laboratory results and clinical data. The lung volume was slightly larger in patients with lung cancers than that in patients with cryptococcosis (3552.8 ± 1184.6 ml vs 3491.9 ± 1017.8 ml). The DL local-global model achieved the best performance in differentiating between nodular cryptococcosis and lung cancer (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.88), which was higher than that of the DL local model (AUC = 0.84) and radiomic (AUC = 0.79) model. CONCLUSION The DL local-global model is a non-invasive diagnostic tool to differentiate between nodular cryptococcosis and lung cancer nodules which are hard to be diagnosed by the combination of CT imaging, laboratory results and clinical data, and overtreatment may be avoided.
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Al-Odaini N, Li XY, Li BK, Chen XC, Huang CY, Lv CY, Pan KS, Zheng DY, Zheng YQ, Liao WQ, Cao CW. In vitro Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii and Cryptococcus gattii Clinical Isolates in Guangxi, Southern China. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:708280. [PMID: 34447360 PMCID: PMC8383296 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.708280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This study analyzed the in vitro drug sensitivity of Cryptococcus spp. from Guangxi, Southern China. One hundred three strains of Cryptococcus were recovered from 86 patients; 14 were HIV positive and 72 were HIV negative. Ninety-two strains were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, while 11 strains were identified as Cryptococcus gattii (5 C. gattii sensu stricto and 6 Cryptococcus deuterogattii). The recovered strains were tested against commonly used antifungal drugs (fluconazole, amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, itraconazole, and voriconazole) and to novel antifungal drugs (posaconazole and isavuconazole) using CLSI M27-A4 method. The results showed that all isolates were susceptible to most antifungal drugs, of which the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges were as follows: 0.05-4 μg/ml for fluconazole, 0.25-1 μg/ml for amphotericin B; 0.0625-2 μg/ml for 5-fluorocytosine, 0.0625-0.25 μg/ml for itraconazole, 0.0078-0.25 μg/ml for voriconazole, 0.0313-0.5 μg/ml for posaconazole, 0.0020-0.125 μg/ml for isavuconazole for C. neoformans var. grubii isolates, and 1-16 μg/ml for fluconazole, 0.125-1 μg/ml for 5-fluorocytosine, 0.25-1 μg/ml for amphotericin B, 0.0625-0.25 μg/ml for itraconazole, 0.0156-0.125 μg/ml for voriconazole, 0.0156-0.25 μg/ml for posaconazole, and 0.0078-0.125 μg/ml for isavuconazole for C. gattii isolates. Furthermore, some C. neoformans var. grubii isolates were found to be susceptible-dose dependent to 5-fluorocytosine and itraconazole. In addition, a reduction in the potency of fluconazole against C. gattii is possible. We observed no statistical differences in susceptibility of C. neoformans var. grubii and C. gattii in the tested strains. Continuous observation of antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus isolates is recommended to monitor the emergence of resistant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najwa Al-Odaini
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Xiu-Ying Li
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Bing-Kun Li
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Xing-Chun Chen
- The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Chun-Yang Huang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Chun-Ying Lv
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Kai-Su Pan
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Dong-Yan Zheng
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Yan-Qing Zheng
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China.,Fourth People's Hospital of Nanning, Nanning, China
| | - Wan-Qing Liao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Fungal Molecular Biology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cun-Wei Cao
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Health Commission Key Lab of Fungi and Mycosis Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
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Xu X, Du P, Wang H, Yang X, Liu T, Zhang Y, Wang Y. Clinical characteristics, Cryptococcus neoformans genotypes, antifungal susceptibility, and outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients in Beijing, China. J Int Med Res 2021; 49:3000605211016197. [PMID: 34038196 PMCID: PMC8161877 DOI: 10.1177/03000605211016197] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an environmental fungal pathogen that causes opportunistic infections and severe disseminated meningoencephalitis, mainly in immunocompromised patients such as those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this study, the clinical characteristics, treatment protocols, and outcomes of 70 patients with AIDS and Cryptococcus neoformans infection at Beijing Ditan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. We performed antimicrobial sensitivity tests and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) on C. neoformans isolates from these patients. The most common symptoms were headache (58.6%), fever (54.3%), and high cerebrospinal fluid pressure (≥200 mm H2O) (71.4%). All patients were positive for C. neoformans antigen in blood or cerebrospinal fluid. The CD4 cell counts of 92.8% (65/70) of patients were <100 cells/µL. In total, 74 C. neoformans isolates were obtained from the 70 patients. The 65 isolates that could be typed fell into 12 sequence types (STs) by MLST: ST5, ST31, ST63, ST202, ST237, ST289, ST295, ST296, ST298, ST324, ST337, and ST359. ST5 was the major type, accounting for 78.5% of isolates (51/65). This study comprehensively assessed the clinical and molecular epidemiology of C. neoformans in patients with AIDS and may inform the development of targeted prevention and treatment strategies for immunocompromised patients with C. neoformans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmin Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Pengcheng Du
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Huizhu Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoling Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yajie Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Ditan Hospital, 12517Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China
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You M, Xu J. What Are the Best Parents for Hybrid Progeny? An Investigation into the Human Pathogenic Fungus Cryptococcus. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7040299. [PMID: 33920829 PMCID: PMC8071107 DOI: 10.3390/jof7040299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization between more divergent organisms is likely to generate progeny with more novel genetic interactions and genetic variations. However, the relationship between parental genetic divergence and progeny phenotypic variation remains largely unknown. Here, using strains of the human pathogenic Cryptococcus, we investigated the patterns of such a relationship. Twenty-two strains with up to 15% sequence divergence were mated. Progeny were genotyped at 16 loci. Parental strains and their progeny were phenotyped for growth ability at two temperatures, melanin production at seven conditions, and susceptibility to the antifungal drug fluconazole. We observed three patterns of relationships between parents and progeny for each phenotypic trait, including (i) similar to one of the parents, (ii) intermediate between the parents, and (iii) outside the parental phenotypic range. We found that as genetic distance increases between parental strains, progeny showed increased fluconazole resistance and growth at 37 °C but decreased melanin production under various oxidative and nitrosative stresses. Our findings demonstrate that, depending on the traits, both evolutionarily more similar strains and more divergent strains may be better parents to generate progeny with hybrid vigor. Together, the results indicate the enormous potential of Cryptococcus hybrids in their evolution and adaptation to diverse conditions.
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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: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [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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Gálvez NMS, Bohmwald K, Pacheco GA, Andrade CA, Carreño LJ, Kalergis AM. Type I Natural Killer T Cells as Key Regulators of the Immune Response to Infectious Diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e00232-20. [PMID: 33361143 PMCID: PMC7950362 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00232-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system must work in an orchestrated way to achieve an optimal response upon detection of antigens. The cells comprising the immune response are traditionally divided into two major subsets, innate and adaptive, with particular characteristics for each type. Type I natural killer T (iNKT) cells are defined as innate-like T cells sharing features with both traditional adaptive and innate cells, such as the expression of an invariant T cell receptor (TCR) and several NK receptors. The invariant TCR in iNKT cells interacts with CD1d, a major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-like molecule. CD1d can bind and present antigens of lipid nature and induce the activation of iNKT cells, leading to the secretion of various cytokines, such as gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4). These cytokines will aid in the activation of other immune cells following stimulation of iNKT cells. Several molecules with the capacity to bind to CD1d have been discovered, including α-galactosylceramide. Likewise, several molecules have been synthesized that are capable of polarizing iNKT cells into different profiles, either pro- or anti-inflammatory. This versatility allows NKT cells to either aid or impair the clearance of pathogens or to even control or increase the symptoms associated with pathogenic infections. Such diverse contributions of NKT cells to infectious diseases are supported by several publications showing either a beneficial or detrimental role of these cells during diseases. In this article, we discuss current data relative to iNKT cells and their features, with an emphasis on their driving role in diseases produced by pathogenic agents in an organ-oriented fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás M S Gálvez
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karen Bohmwald
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gaspar A Pacheco
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina A Andrade
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leandro J Carreño
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Programa de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexis M Kalergis
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Fu Y, Xu M, Zhou H, Yao Y, Zhou J, Pan Z. Microbiological and clinical characteristics of cryptococcemia: a retrospective analysis of 85 cases in a Chinese hospital. Med Mycol 2021; 58:478-484. [PMID: 31504739 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myz089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcemia is a life-threatening fungal infection. Sometimes, it is hard to diagnose. The studies to describe the characteristics of cryptococcemia specifically were limited. We performed this retrospective analysis in a Chinese hospital during 2002-2015, including 85 cryptococcemia cases and 52 Cryptococcus spp. isolates. The species, mating type, antifungal susceptibility and multilocus sequence typing of Cryptococcus spp. were determined. C. neoformans var. grubii MATα of sequence type (ST) 5 is the representative strain of cryptococcemia, accounting for 51 isolates. The MIC50/90 values were 0.5/0.5, 1.0/1.0, 2.0/4.0, ≤0.06/0.25, and ≤0.06/≤0.06 μg/ml for amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, and voriconazole, respectively. Cryptococcemia was the first diagnostic proof of cryptococcosis in 37 patients (43.5%, 37/85). Compared with the patients initially diagnosed of cryptococcosis in other sites (mainly cerebrospinal fluid), the patients firstly diagnosed by blood culture had prolonged time from admission to diagnosis of cryptococcosis (9 days vs. 2 days, P < .001) and higher 30-day mortality (54.1% vs. 20.8%, P = .003), while fewer symptoms of meningitis (45.9% vs. 100%, P < .001). For the patients receiving lumbar puncture, the occurrence of meningitis was similar between the patients firstly diagnosed by blood culture and those firstly diagnosed in other sites (94.1% vs. 100%, P = .26). However, the patients first diagnosed by blood culture had lower baseline intracranial pressure (250 mm H2O vs. 342.5 mm H2O, P = .001). In conclusion, patients with cryptococcemia as the first diagnostic proof of cryptococcosis usually had neglected subtle symptoms of meningitis, which may result in delayed diagnosis and catastrophic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqi Fu
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Min Xu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques of Zhejiang Province, Center of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yake Yao
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianying Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhijie Pan
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Wu SY, Kang M, Liu Y, Chen ZX, Xiao YL, He C, Ma Y. Molecular epidemiology and antifungal susceptibilities of Cryptococcus species isolates from HIV and non-HIV patients in Southwest China. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 40:287-295. [PMID: 32895755 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-04013-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
To investigated the molecular epidemiology and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus isolates from West China Hospital from HIV and non-HIV patients between 2009 and 2015. A total of 132 C. neoformans and C. gattii were subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing by E-test method. Among the 132 isolates, 42 C. neoformans and C. gattii were analyzed by mating type and URA5-RFLP. A total of 113 C. neoformans and C. gattii were subjected to multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). MLST results revealed that ST5 was the major molecular type. The wild-type (WT) phenotype was seen in 91.5-100% of C. neoformans isolates for amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine, fluconazole, and voriconazole. However, 72.3% (94/130) of C. neoformans isolates were non-wild-type (non-WT) to itraconazole by E-test method. In the sixth study year, the geometric mean, MIC50 and MIC90 of fluconazole were the highest (P < 0.001). Among 132 patients. 52 were coinfected with HIV and 80 were HIV-negative. Isolates from HIV and non-HIV patients showed no differences in susceptibility to amphotericin B (P = 0.544), 5-flucytosine (P = 0.063), fluconazole (P = 0.570), voriconazole (P = 0.542), and itraconazole (P = 0.787). Our study showed that Cryptococcus in southwest China showed a low degree of genetic diversity. The increased MIC values of fluconazole are noted. Cryptococcus isolates from HIV and non-HIV patients have shown no differences in susceptibility to five antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Ying Wu
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mei Kang
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Ya Liu
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhi-Xing Chen
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu-Ling Xiao
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chao He
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Ma
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Liang L, Liang Z, She D, Chen L. A case-control study of human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with cryptococcemia and cryptococcal meningitis in a Chinese tertiary care hospital during 10 years. J Int Med Res 2021; 49:300060520984658. [PMID: 33472466 PMCID: PMC7829516 DOI: 10.1177/0300060520984658] [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: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to characterize patients with cryptococcemia and compare the clinical features of cryptococcemia and cryptococcal meningitis. METHODS This was a retrospective, case-control study. We retrospectively identified blood cultures with Cryptococcus spp. growth. Controls were hospitalized patients who suffered from cryptococcal meningitis, but did not experience cryptococcemia. Controls and cases were matched by admission date, age, sex, and body weight. Clinical information was analyzed by two independent reviewers. RESULTS Eight patients with cryptococcemia and eight patients with cryptococcal meningitis were included. They were all negative for human immunodeficiency virus. The most common underlying disease was primary nephrotic syndrome. All patients presented with fever. The incidence of headache, nausea/vomiting, seizures, and cough/expectoration was significantly lower in patients with cryptococcemia than in those with cryptococcal meningitis. All clinical strains of Cryptococcus, except for one, were sensitive to fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, amphotericin B, and flucytosine in vitro. The rate of receiving an amphotericin B-containing regimen was significantly higher in patients with cryptococcal meningitis than in those with cryptococcemia. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in cryptococcemia cases compared with cryptococcal meningitis cases. CONCLUSION Cryptococcemia is an unusual infection characterized by a high mortality. Cryptococcemia requires early identification and prompt antifungal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liling Liang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Medical Centre of 104607Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixin Liang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Medical Centre of 104607Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Danyang She
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Medical Centre of 104607Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liang'an Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Medical Centre of 104607Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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Multilocus Sequence Typing of Clinical Isolates of Cryptococcus from India. Mycopathologia 2021; 186:199-211. [PMID: 33469844 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00500-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii species complex. In the present study, to understand the molecular epidemiology of 208 clinical isolates of Cryptococcus from different parts of India, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) using ISHAM MLST consensus scheme for C. neoformans/C. gattii species complex was used. MLST analysis yielded a total of 10 Sequence Types (STs)-7 STs for C. neoformans and 3 for C. gattii species complex. The majority of isolates identified as C. neoformans belonged to molecular type VNI with predominant STs 31 and 93. Only 3 isolates of C. gattii species complex were obtained, belonging to ST58 and ST215 of VGI and ST69 of VGIV. Phylogenetic analysis revealed less diversity among the clinical Indian isolates compared to the global MLST database. No association between prevalent STs and HIV status, geographical origin or minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) could be established.
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Chen M, Wang Y, Li Y, Hong N, Zhu X, Pan W, Liao W, Xu J, Du J, Chen J. Genotypic diversity and antifungal susceptibility of environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from the Yangtze River Delta region of East China. Med Mycol 2020; 59:653-663. [PMID: 33269400 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although cryptococcosis is widely recognized as infection by Cryptococcus neoformans sensu lato from environmental sources, information concerning the characteristics of environmental isolates of C. neoformans s. l. and how they are related to clinical isolates is very limited, especially in East China. In this study, 61 environmental isolates of C. neoformans were recovered from pigeon (Columba livia) droppings from the Yangtze River Delta region of East China. These isolates were genotyped using the ISHAM-MLST consensus scheme and their antifungal drug susceptibilities were determined following the CLSI M27-A3 guidelines. The 61 isolates were found belonging to 13 sequence types (STs), including several novel STs such as ST254 and ST194. The dominant ST in this environmental sample was ST31, different from that of clinical strains (ST5) in this region. Azole-resistance, such as fluconazole (FLU)-resistance, was observed among our environmental C. neoformans isolates. The findings of this study expand our understanding of ecological niches, population genetic diversity, and azole-resistance characteristics of the yeast in East China. Our research lays the foundation for further comparative analysis the potential mechanisms for the observed differences between environmental and clinical populations of C. neoformans in China. LAY SUMMARY Cryptococcosis is widely recognized as infection by Cryptococcus neoformans sensu lato from environmental sources. However, there is currently limited information about the genetic diversity and antifungal susceptibility of environmental C. neoformans s. l. isolates, including how they may differ from clinical samples. In this study, we collected 61 environmental C. neoformans isolates from domestic pigeon droppings from the Yangtze River Delta region of East China. These isolates were genotyped using multi-locus sequencing. We found a high genotypic diversity in this population of C. neoformans, with several novel genotypes and a distribution of genotypes different from that of clinical strains in this region. Azole-resistance, such as fluconazole (FLU)-resistance, was observed among our environmental C. neoformans isolates. The findings of this study expand our understanding of ecological niches, genetic diversity, and azole-resistance characteristics of the yeast in East China. Our research lays the foundation for phylogenomic analysis investigating why and how disparate population structures of C. neoformans isolates formed between environmental and clinical sources in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingfang Li
- Department of Skin & Cosmetic Research, Shanghai Skin Diseases Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Hong
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinlin Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weihua Pan
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanqing Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Jingxia Du
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianghan Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
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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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Yu CH, Chen Y, Desjardins CA, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Giamberardino C, Litvintseva A, Perfect JR, Cuomo CA. Landscape of gene expression variation of natural isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans in response to biologically relevant stresses. Microb Genom 2020; 6. [PMID: 31860441 PMCID: PMC7067042 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that at its peak epidemic levels caused an estimated million cases of cryptococcal meningitis per year worldwide. This species can grow in diverse environmental (trees, soil and bird excreta) and host niches (intracellular microenvironments of phagocytes and free-living in host tissues). The genetic basic for adaptation to these different conditions is not well characterized, as most experimental work has relied on a single reference strain of C. neoformans. To identify genes important for yeast infection and disease progression, we profiled the gene expression of seven C. neoformans isolates grown in five representative in vitro environmental and in vivo conditions. We characterized gene expression differences using RNA-Seq (RNA sequencing), comparing clinical and environmental isolates from two of the major lineages of this species, VNI and VNBI. These comparisons highlighted genes showing lineage-specific expression that are enriched in subtelomeric regions and in lineage-specific gene clusters. By contrast, we find few expression differences between clinical and environmental isolates from the same lineage. Gene expression specific to in vivo stages reflects available nutrients and stresses, with an increase in fungal metabolism within macrophages, and an induction of ribosomal and heat-shock gene expression within the subarachnoid space. This study provides the widest view to date of the transcriptome variation of C. neoformans across natural isolates, and provides insights into genes important for in vitro and in vivo growth stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Hsin Yu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yuan Chen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | | | - Jennifer L Tenor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Dena L Toffaletti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Charles Giamberardino
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Anastasia Litvintseva
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - John R Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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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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Chen M, Xu N, Xu J. Cryptococcus Neoformans Meningitis Cases Among China's HIV-Infected Population may have been Severely Under-Reported. Mycopathologia 2020; 185:971-974. [PMID: 32989582 PMCID: PMC7521573 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00491-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is the leading fungal infection of the central nervous system. Globally, most CM cases have been reported from patients with compromised immunities, especially those infected with HIV. However, reports from China have shown that most CM infections were from HIV-negative, immunocompetent hosts. Here, we reviewed the published reports and found those studies were almost exclusively based on patients from hospitals associated with Chinese universities but not from specialized infectious diseases hospitals where most Chinese HIV-infected patients have been treated. Thus, we believe CM cases among China’s HIV-infected population may have been severely under-reported. Analyses of CM cases in specialized infectious diseases hospitals are needed to identify the true epidemiological pattern of CM in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Xu
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, 150 Jimuo Road, Shanghai, 200120, China.
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
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Gupta S, Paul K, Kaur S. Diverse species in the genus Cryptococcus: Pathogens and their non-pathogenic ancestors. IUBMB Life 2020; 72:2303-2312. [PMID: 32897638 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The genus Cryptococcus comprises of more than 30 species. It consists of clinically significant pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complex comprising of a minimum of seven species. These pathogens cost more than 200,000 lives annually by causing cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. The evolution of the pathogenic species from closely related non-pathogenic species of the Cryptococcus amylolentus complex is of particular importance and several advances have been made to understand their phylogenetic and genomic relationships. The current review briefly describes the sexual reproduction process followed by an individual description of the members focusing on their key attributes and virulence mechanisms of the pathogenic species. A special section on phylogenetic studies is aimed at understanding the evolutionary divergence of pathogens from non-pathogens. Recent findings from our group pertaining to parameters affecting codon usage bias in six pathogenic and three non-pathogenic ancestral species and their corroboration with existing phylogenetic reports are also included in the current review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelly Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, Lovely Professional University, Kapurthala, India
| | - Karan Paul
- Department of Biochemistry, DAV University, Jalandhar, India
| | - Sukhmanjot Kaur
- Department of Biochemistry, Lovely Professional University, Kapurthala, India
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46
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Silva E Souza E, Barcellos VDA, Sbaraini N, Reuwsaat JCV, Schneider RDO, da Silva AC, Garcia AWA, von Poser GL, Barbosa EG, Lima JPMS, Vainstein MH. A Plumieridine-Rich Fraction From Allamanda polyantha Inhibits Chitinolytic Activity and Exhibits Antifungal Properties Against Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2058. [PMID: 32983042 PMCID: PMC7483551 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02058] [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] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection caused mainly by the pathogenic yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The infection initiates with the inhalation of propagules that are then deposited in the lungs. If not properly treated, cryptococci cells can disseminate and reach the central nervous system. The current recommended treatment for cryptococcosis employs a three-stage regimen, with the administration of amphotericin B, flucytosine and fluconazole. Although effective, these drugs are often unavailable worldwide, can lead to resistance development, and may display toxic effects on the patients. Thus, new drugs for cryptococcosis treatment are needed. Recently, an iridoid named plumieridine was found in Allamanda polyantha seed extract; it exhibited antifungal activity against C. neoformans with a MIC of 250 μg/mL. To address the mode of action of plumieridine, several in silico and in vitro experiments were performed. Through a ligand-based a virtual screening approach, chitinases were identified as potential targets. Confirmatory in vitro assays showed that C. neoformans cell-free supernatant incubated with plumieridine displayed reduced chitinase activity, while chitinolytic activity was not inhibited in the insoluble cell fraction. Additionally, confocal microscopy revealed changes in the distribution of chitooligomers in the cryptococcal cell wall, from a polarized to a diffuse cell pattern state. Remarkably, further assays have shown that plumieridine can also inhibit the chitinolytic activity from the supernatant and cell-free extracts of bacteria, insect and mouse-derived macrophage cells (J774.A1). Together, our results suggest that plumieridine can be a broad-spectrum chitinase inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden Silva E Souza
- Bioinformatics Multidisciplinary Environment, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Nicolau Sbaraini
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | | | - Adriana Corrêa da Silva
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
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Cryptococcal Meningitis: A Rare Complication in HIV-Negative Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome in A Chinese Teaching Hospital. Mycopathologia 2020; 185:959-969. [PMID: 32789738 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00482-5] [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: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a rare complication in HIV-negative patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS), and knowledge about the clinical profile of NS with CM is limited. We performed a retrospective study of all patients with CM-NS admitted to the Jiangxi Chest Hospital (JCH) between 2011 and 2019 and systematically reviewed cases of CM-NS reported in the Chinese language. Among a total of 226 CM patients referred to the JCH, seven had NS (3.1%); these patients were combined with 22 CM-NS cases reported in the Chinese language for analysis. Headache, fever, nausea, and meningeal irritation were the most common initial symptoms, and the median time from symptom onset to CM diagnostic confirmation was 30 days. One patient initially tested negative for CM but was later confirmed to be positive. Among the 29 analysed patients, 41.4% (12/29) were misdiagnosed with other complications, including four patients from the JCH (4/7, 57.1%) and eight patients from published reports (8/22, 36.3%). The overall mortality rate was 17.2% (5/29); among these patients, 60% (3/5) were misdiagnosed. Induction treatment with amphotericin B plus 5-fluorocytosine (9/29) or amphotericin B plus fluconazole (7/29) successfully cleared the infection. Fluconazole may be a suitable alternative if 5-fluorocytosine is not readily available or not tolerated, and repetitive testing is important to reach a conclusive diagnosis in NS patients suspected of having CM.
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48
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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: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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Clinical analysis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis in western China. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9387. [PMID: 32523003 PMCID: PMC7287058 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66094-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a systemic infection and it may occur in immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. In order to better understand the clinical characteristics of patients with PC in different immune status, we retrospectively investigated the clinical, radiological, and treatment profiles of immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients with PC during a 10-year period (2008–2017). As a result, out of 136 patients, 94 (69.1%) were immunocompromised hosts. For the PC patients without CNS involvement, higher percentage of immunocompetent patients (39.5%, 15/38) had asymptomatic presentation than immunocompromised patients (6.3%, 3/48) (P < 0.05). Multiple pulmonary nodules (72.7%, 56/77), ground-glass attenuation/interstitial changes (94.4%, 17/18) and cavitation (88.6%, 31/35) were significantly frequent in immunocompromised patients (P < 0.05). A total of 47 patients were misdiagnosed as tuberculosis or tumors based on CT signs. PC was likely to be misdiagnosed as tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients (88.2%, 15/17), and tumor was more likely to be considered in immunocompetent patients (43.3%, 13/30). Immunocompetent patients accounted for 80% (24/30) of patients with definite diagnosis on surgical lung biopsy. Fluconazole monotherapy can achieve good clinical outcome in most PC patients without central nervous system (CNS) involvement (91.5%, 54/59). After 3 months of treatment, 92.7% (38/41) patients have improved imaging findings. In conclusion, PC has diverse imaging manifestations and it is easily misdiagnosed. Lobectomy should be carefully selected in immunocompetent patients with a single lung lesion. Fluconazole monotherapy is preferred for PC patients without CNS involvement.
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50
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Yang H, Yin F, Xiao T, Gan S, Pan Z, Peng J, Wu L. A correlation analysis between clinical manifestations, therapeutic strategies, and the prognosis of children with cryptococcal meningitis in China. Int J Infect Dis 2020; 95:241-245. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.03.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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