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Cosio T, Pica F, Fontana C, Pistoia ES, Favaro M, Valsecchi I, Zarabian N, Campione E, Botterel F, Gaziano R. Stephanoascus ciferrii Complex: The Current State of Infections and Drug Resistance in Humans. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:294. [PMID: 38667965 PMCID: PMC11050938 DOI: 10.3390/jof10040294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the incidence of fungal infections in humans has increased dramatically, accompanied by an expansion in the number of species implicated as etiological agents, especially environmental fungi never involved before in human infection. Among fungal pathogens, Candida species are the most common opportunistic fungi that can cause local and systemic infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Candida albicans (C. albicans) is the most common causative agent of mucosal and healthcare-associated systemic infections. However, during recent decades, there has been a worrying increase in the number of emerging multi-drug-resistant non-albicans Candida (NAC) species, i.e., C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. auris, and C. ciferrii. In particular, Candida ciferrii, also known as Stephanoascus ciferrii or Trichomonascus ciferrii, is a heterothallic ascomycete yeast-like fungus that has received attention in recent decades as a cause of local and systemic fungal diseases. Today, the new definition of the S. ciferrii complex, which consists of S. ciferrii, Candida allociferrii, and Candida mucifera, was proposed after sequencing the 18S rRNA gene. Currently, the S. ciferrii complex is mostly associated with non-severe ear and eye infections, although a few cases of severe candidemia have been reported in immunocompromised individuals. Low susceptibility to currently available antifungal drugs is a rising concern, especially in NAC species. In this regard, a high rate of resistance to azoles and more recently also to echinocandins has emerged in the S. ciferrii complex. This review focuses on epidemiological, biological, and clinical aspects of the S. ciferrii complex, including its pathogenicity and drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terenzio Cosio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.S.P.); (M.F.); (R.G.)
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University Hospital, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Francesca Pica
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.S.P.); (M.F.); (R.G.)
| | - Carla Fontana
- Laboratory of Microbiology and BioBank, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” I.R.C.C.S., 00149 Rome, Italy;
| | - Enrico Salvatore Pistoia
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.S.P.); (M.F.); (R.G.)
| | - Marco Favaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.S.P.); (M.F.); (R.G.)
| | - Isabel Valsecchi
- DYNAMYC 7380, Faculté de Santé, Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), 94010 Créteil, France; (I.V.); (F.B.)
| | - Nikkia Zarabian
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 I St NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Elena Campione
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University Hospital, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Françoise Botterel
- DYNAMYC 7380, Faculté de Santé, Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC), 94010 Créteil, France; (I.V.); (F.B.)
| | - Roberta Gaziano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.S.P.); (M.F.); (R.G.)
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Al-Khairallah HA, Al-Yasiri MH. MOLECULAR DETECTION OF THE TWO VIRULENCE GENES HWP1 AND ALS1 IN CANDIDA SPECIES ISOLATED FROM ONYCHOMYCOSIS. WIADOMOSCI LEKARSKIE (WARSAW, POLAND : 1960) 2022; 75:1295-1298. [PMID: 35758446 DOI: 10.36740/wlek202205211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim: This article was aimed to assess the prevalence of Candida species causing nail infections and to investigate the most important virulence genes that cause adhesion. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and methods: Samples were collected from General Hospital and the outpatient's clinics in Thi-Qar Province, southern Iraq, during the period from January 2021 to May 2021. Samples were inoculated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar plates containing 0.5 mg chloramphenicol, then Petri dishes were incubated at 30°C under aerobic conditions and observed for Candida species growth for 24-72 hrs. All isolates were identified by morphologic and chromatic properties on CHROMagar and by Api Candida. RESULTS Results: Twenty five isolates were obtained from hundred samples, which belong to five species of the genus Candida, distributed in percentage 9(36%), 4(16%), 4(16%), 4(16%) and 3(12%) of C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. albicans, C. famata and C. tropicalis consecutively and one isolate was not identified. Monoplex PCR technique was used to detect virulence genes (hwp1 and als1) of Candida species. Four Candida albicans isolates (16%) were carried of both hwp1 and als1 genes. CONCLUSION Conclusions: The virulence gene (hwp1) can be relied upon in molecular detection as a special diagnostic tool of Candida albicans species except other types causing Candidal onychomycosis.
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