scholarly journals Molecular typing and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus spp from patients in Midwest Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (08) ◽  
pp. 1037-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia Cometti Favalessa ◽  
Daphine Ariadne Jesus De Paula ◽  
Valeria Dutra ◽  
Luciano Nakazato ◽  
Tomoko Tadano ◽  
...  

Introduction: Cryptococcosis is a systemic fungal infection that affects humans and animals, mainly due to Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Following the epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), fungal infections by C. neoformans have become more common among immunocompromised patients. Cryptococcus gattii has primarily been isolated as a primary pathogen in healthy hosts and occurs endemically in northern and northeastern Brazil. We to perform genotypic characterization and determine the in vitro susceptibility profile to antifungal drugs of the Cryptococcus species complex isolated from HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients attended at university hospitals in Cuiabá, MT, in the Midwestern region of Brazil. Methodology: Micromorphological features, chemotyping with canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue (CGB) agar and genotyping by URA5-RFLP were used to identify the species. The antifungal drugs tested were amphotericin B, fluconazole, flucytosine, itraconazole and voriconazole. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined according to the CLSI methodology M27-A3. Results: Analysis of samples yelded C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI (17/27, 63.0%) and C. gattii AFLP6/VGII (10/27, 37.0%). The MICs ranges for the antifungal drugs were: amphotericin B (0.5-1 mg/L), fluconazole (1-16 mg/L), flucytosine (1-16 mg/L), itraconazole (0.25-0.12 mg/L) and voriconazole (0.06-0.5 mg/L). Isolates of C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI were predominant in patients with HIV/AIDS, and C. gattii VGII in HIV-negative patients. The genotypes identified were susceptible to the antifungal drugs tested. Conclusion: It is worth emphasizing that AFLP6/VGII is a predominant genotype affecting HIV-negative individuals in Cuiabá. These findings serve as a guide concerning the molecular epidemiology of C. neoformans and C. gattii in the State of Mato Grosso.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najwa Al-Odaini ◽  
Xiu-ying Li ◽  
Bing-kun Li ◽  
Xing-chun Chen ◽  
Chun-yang Huang ◽  
...  

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.


Author(s):  
Smita S. Kulkarni ◽  
Jayshree B. Bhakre ◽  
Ajit S. Damle

Background: Onychomycosis is chronic fungal infection of fingernails and toenails. Variety of fungi cause onychomycosis. Due to importance of high prevalence rate of onychomycosis this study was conducted.Methods: In this study 100 patients suspected of onychomycosis were examined. Diagnosis of onychomycosis was based on the patient’s history, physical examination, microscopy and culture of nail specimens.Results: Direct microscopy of the nail clippings in 20% KOH solution was positive in 61% and culture was positive in 54% cases. The common etiological agent was dermatophytes (79.6% cases) followed by non dermatophyte moulds (11.1% cases) and yeasts (9.2% cases). Amongst dermatophytes, T. rubrum was found to be commonest etiological agent (57.6%) followed by T. mentagrophytes. We had performed the in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing of isolated fungal species against Amphotericin B, Fluconazole, Itraconazole and Terbinafine according to standard guidelines recommended by the CLSI. Antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes and non-dermatophyte moulds was performed by broth macrodilution method. For Candida species we used broth macrodilution method as well as disk diffusion method. All three Candida albicans isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole. Two strains of Candida krusei were sensitive to amphotericin B and resistant to fluconazole and itraconazole. Two isolates of T. rubrum had MIC >64µg/ml and one T. Mentagrophytes isolate had MIC 32µg/ml for fluconazole. Among non dermatophyte moulds, Aspergillus niger and one isolate of Fusarium oxysporum showed high MICs against fluconazole.Conclusions: Terbinafine exhibited the lowest MICs among all the tested antifungal drugs.


2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 1705-1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Arunmozhi Balajee ◽  
David Nickle ◽  
Janos Varga ◽  
Kieren A. Marr

ABSTRACT Aspergillus fumigatus has been understood to be the most common cause of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in all epidemiological surveys. However, recent studies have uncovered a large degree of genetic heterogeneity between isolates morphologically identified as A. fumigatus, leading to the description of a new species, Aspergillus lentulus. Here, we examined the genetic diversity of clinical isolates identified as A. fumigatus using restriction enzyme polymorphism analysis and sequence-based identification. Analysis of 50 clinical isolates from geographically diverse locations recorded the presence of at least three distinct species: A. lentulus, Aspergillus udagawae, and A. fumigatus. In vitro, A. lentulus isolates demonstrated decreased susceptibility to antifungal drugs currently used for IA, including amphotericin B, voriconazole, and caspofungin; A. udagawae isolates demonstrated decreased in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B. Results of the present study demonstrate that current phenotypic methods to identify fungi do not differentiate between genetically distinct species in the A. fumigatus group. Differential antifungal susceptibilities of these species may account for some of the reported poor outcomes of therapy in clinical studies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 171814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Shu ◽  
Tengfei Li ◽  
Wen Yang ◽  
Duo Li ◽  
Shunli Ji ◽  
...  

The present work is focused on the design and development of novel amphotericin B (AmB)-conjugated biocompatible and biodegradable polypeptide hydrogels to improve the antifungal activity. Using three kinds of promoting self-assembly groups (2-naphthalene acetic acid (Nap), naproxen (Npx) and dexamethasone (Dex)) and polypeptide sequence (Phe-Phe-Asp-Lys-Tyr, FFDKY), we successfully synthesized the Nap-FFDK(AmB)Y gels, Npx-FFDK(AmB)Y gels and Dex-FFDK(AmB)Y gels. The AmB-conjugated hydrogelators are highly soluble in different aqueous solutions. The cryo-transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy micrographs of hydrogels afford nanofibres with a width of 20–50 nm. Powder X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate that the crystalline structures of the AmB and Dex are changed into amorphous structures after the formation of hydrogels. Circular dichroism spectra of the solution of blank carriers and the corresponding drug deliveries further help elucidate the molecular arrangement in gel phase, indicating the existence of turn features. The in vitro drug releases suggest that the AmB-conjugated hydrogels are suitable as drug-controlled release vehicles for hydrophobic drugs. The antifungal effect of AmB-conjugated hydrogels significantly exhibits the antifungal activity against Candida albicans . The results of the present study indicated that the AmB-conjugated hydrogels are suitable carriers for poorly water soluble drugs and for enhancement of therapeutic efficacy of antifungal drugs.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Ting Tan ◽  
Nurliyana binti Mohd Shuhairi ◽  
Stephanie Jane Ginsapu ◽  
Surianti Binti Shukor ◽  
Fairuz Binti Amran

Abstract Talaromyces marneffei is an etiologic agent of talaromycosis. It can cause serious complications and death in immunocompromised patients, particularly in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. This infectious disease is endemic in Southeast Asia including Malaysia. To date, published reports on the antifungal susceptibility profile of T. marneffei is very limited. The objective of this study is to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of T. marneffei in yeast and mycelial phases in Malaysia. In the year 2020, 27 clinical strains of T. marneffei were received from various hospitals in Malaysia. The identification was carried out using microscopic, macroscopic and molecular methods. Following that, the susceptibility of each isolate in both yeast and mycelial form to thirteen common antifungals was performed according to the broth microdilution in Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M38 method. The antifungals tested were anidulafungin, micafungin sodium, caspofungin diacetate, 5-fluorocytosine, amphotericin B and terbinafine hydrochloride, posaconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, ravuconazole, clotrimazole and isavuconazole. The geometric mean of all antifungals other than anidulafungin, micafungin sodium, caspofungin diacetate and 5-fluorocytosine against T. marneffei mould (mycelial) were >2 μg/ml. However, the geometric mean of all antifungals against T. marneffei yeast was <2 μg/ml. Our in vitro data suggests promising activities of amphotericin B, terbinafine hydrochloride, posaconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, ravuconazole, clotrimazole and isavuconazole against yeast and mould phases of T. marneffei.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-249
Author(s):  
Chau Van Tro ◽  
Khuong Ho Thi Ngoc ◽  
Thuong Nguyen Van ◽  
Khang Tran Hau ◽  
Marco Gandolfi ◽  
...  

AIM: Evaluate the resistance of dermatophytes to systemic antifungal drugs in the Vietnamese population. METHODS: We enrolled 101 patients with cutaneous dermatophytosis at the Dermato-Venereology hospital in HCMC from August 2016 to March 2017. All the specimens were subjected to direct examination (10% KOH mount) and culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar. In vitro antifungal sensitivity testing was done on species isolated from a culture with broth microdilution method. RESULTS: Direct microscopy was positive for dermatophytes in all patients. However this pathogen was found in fungal cultures in only 61.38% of patients. The main causative agent isolated was Trichophyton spp. (90.3%), followed by Microsporum spp. (8%) and Epidermophyton spp. (1.7%). Trichophyton spp. Has shown resistance to fluconazole, griseofulvin, ketoconazole, and itraconazole in 92.9%, 46.4%, 5.4% and 1.8% of strains, respectively. All Microsporum spp. Strains were found resistant to fluconazole and griseofulvin while resistance to ketoconazole was demonstrated in only 20% of strains and none of them was resistant to itraconazole. Epidermophyton spp strains were all resistant to fluconazole, griseofulvin, ketoconazole while none of them was resistant to itraconazole. CONCLUSION: Based upon our results, Itraconazole shows the greatest probability of efficacy in the treatment of cutaneous dermatophytosis in Vietnamese patients.


Author(s):  
Andressa Santana Santos ◽  
Ana Laura Sene Amancio Zara ◽  
Fábio Silvestre Ataídes ◽  
Elisangela Gomes da Silva ◽  
Vivianny Aparecida Queiroz Freitas ◽  
...  

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common infection. This work aims to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of the clinical diagnosis of VVC and to characterize Candida species isolated from the vaginal mucosa. This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2016 to February 2017 at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic of the Hospital das Clínicas, in Goiânia, Goiás State, Brazil. The study included samples of vaginal secretion from 55 women who complained of vaginal discharge and itching as their main symptoms. The PPV of the clinical diagnosis of VVC was estimated in comparison to the laboratory culture method. The phenotypic methods and molecular tests were performed to identify Candida spp. In vitro susceptibility of Candida spp. isolates to fluconazole, itraconazole, clotrimazole, nystatin, and amphotericin B was determined using the broth microdilution assay. Yeast growth using the enzymes protease, phospholipase, and hemolysin was carried out in media containing respectively bovine albumin, egg yolk, and sheep erythrocytes. A PPV of 61.8% (34/55) was determined. Among the 55 vulvovaginal samples collected, we identified 36 isolates in whichC. albicans was the most common species. High resistance to fluconazole and low minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for clotrimazole, nystatin and amphotericin B were observed. All isolates were proteinase and hemolysin producers, while seven strains were phospholipase negative. The clinical diagnosis of VVC presented a moderate PPV, which meant that cultures had to be conducted in the laboratory to confirm infection. The high resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole indicated the importance of the in vitro susceptibility test.KEY WORDS: Vulvovaginal candidiasis; antifungal susceptibility; enzymatic activity


2020 ◽  
Vol 186 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-70
Author(s):  
Y. Jiang ◽  
W. Luo ◽  
P. E. Verweij ◽  
Y. Song ◽  
B. Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractIn vitro susceptibility testing for Trichophyton rubrum has shown resistance to terbinafine, azoles and amorolfine, locally, but epidemiological cutoffs are not available. In order to assess the appropriateness of current first-line antifungal treatment for T. rubrum in China, we characterized antifungal susceptibility patterns of Chinese T. rubrum strains to nine antifungals and also described the upper limits of wild-type (WT) minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) (UL-WT) based on our study and another six studies published during the last decades. Sixty-two clinical isolates originating from seven provinces in China were identified as T. rubrum sensu stricto; all Chinese strains showed low MICs to eight out of nine antifungal drugs. Terbinafine (TBF) showed the lowest MICs of all antifungal classes tested in both the Chinese and global groups, with a 97.5% UL-WT MIC-value of 0.03 mg/L. No non-WT isolates were observed for TBF in China, but were reported in 18.5% of the global group. Our study indicated that TBF was still the most active drug for Chinese T. rubrum isolates, and all strains were within the WT-population. TBF therefore remains recommended for primary therapy to dermatophytosis caused by T. rubrum in China now, but regular surveillance of dermatophytes and antifungal susceptibility is recommended.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 864-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marília Martins Nishikawa ◽  
Rodrigo Almeida-Paes ◽  
Fabio Brito-Santos ◽  
Carlos Roberto Nascimento ◽  
Miguel Madi Fialho ◽  
...  

AbstractEarly diagnosis, efficient clinical support, and proper antifungal therapy are essential to reduce death and sequels caused by cryptococcosis. The emergence of resistance to the antifungal drugs commonly used for cryptococcosis treatment is an important issue of concern. Thus, the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of clinical strains from northern Brazil, including C. neoformans VNI (n = 62) and C. gattii VGII (n = 37), to amphotericin B (AMB), 5-flucytosine, fluconazole, voriconazole, and itraconazole was evaluated using the Etest and Vitek 2 systems and the standardized broth microdilution (CLSI-BMD) methodology. According to the CLSI-BMD, the most active in vitro azole was voriconazole (C. neoformans VNI modal MIC of 0.06 μg/ml and C. gattii VGII modal MIC of 0.25 μg/ml), and fluconazole was the least active (modal MIC of 4 μg/ml for both fungi). Modal MICs for amphotericin B were 1 μg/ml for both fungi. In general, good essential agreement (EA) values were observed between the methods. However, AMB presented the lowest EA between CLSI-BMD and Etest for C. neoformans VNI and C. gattii VGII (1.6% and 2.56%, respectively, P < .05 for both). Considering the proposed Cryptococcus spp. epidemiological cutoff values, more than 97% of the studied isolates were categorized as wild-type for the azoles. However, the high frequency of C. neoformans VNI isolates in the population described here that displayed non-wild-type susceptibility to AMB is noteworthy. Epidemiological surveillance of the antifungal resistance of cryptococcal strains is relevant due to the potential burden and the high lethality of cryptococcal meningitis in the Amazon region.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 378
Author(s):  
Ourania Georgacopoulos ◽  
Natalie S. Nunnally ◽  
Eric M. Ransom ◽  
Derek Law ◽  
Mike Birch ◽  
...  

Olorofim is a novel antifungal drug that belongs to the orotomide drug class which inhibits fungal dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), thus halting pyrimidine biosynthesis and ultimately DNA synthesis, cell growth and division. It is being developed at a time when many invasive fungal infections exhibit antifungal resistance or have limited treatment options. The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effectiveness of olorofim against a large collection of recently isolated, clinically relevant American mold isolates. In vitro antifungal activity was determined for 246 azole-susceptible Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, five A. fumigatus with TR34/L98H-mediated resistance, 19 Rhizopus species isolates, 21 Fusarium species isolates, and one isolate each of six other species of molds. Olorofim minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were compared to antifungal susceptibility testing profiles for amphotericin B, anidulafungin, caspofungin, isavuconazole, itraconazole, micafungin, posaconazole, and voriconazole. Olorofim MICs were significantly lower than those of the echinocandin and azole drug classes and amphotericin B. A. fumigatus wild type and resistant isolates shared the same MIC50 = 0.008 μg/mL. In non-Aspergillus susceptible isolates (MIC ≤ 2 μg/mL), the geometric mean (GM) MIC to olorofim was 0.54 μg/mL with a range of 0.015–2 μg/mL. Olorofim had no antifungal activity (MIC ≥ 2 μg/mL) against 10% of the collection (31 in 297), including some isolates from Rhizopus spp. and Fusarium spp. Olorofim showed promising activity against A. fumigatus and other molds regardless of acquired azole resistance.


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