scholarly journals Aspergillus fumigatus Clinical Isolates Carrying CYP51A with TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I Substitutions Detected after Four-Year Retrospective Azole Resistance Screening in Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laís Pontes ◽  
Caio Augusto Gualtieri Beraquet ◽  
Teppei Arai ◽  
Guilherme Leite Pigolli ◽  
Luzia Lyra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Tandem Repeat ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Antifungal Resistance ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Resistance Screening ◽  
Environmental Isolates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Susceptibility Tests

ABSTRACT Azole antifungal resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus is a worldwide concern. As in most public hospitals in Brazil, antifungal susceptibility tests are not routinely performed for filamentous fungi at our institution. A 4-year retrospective azole antifungal resistance screening revealed two azole-resistant A. fumigatus clinical isolates carrying the CYP51A TR34 (34-bp tandem repeat)/L98H (change of L to H at position 98)/S297T/F495I resistance mechanism mutations, obtained from two unrelated patients. Broth microdilution antifungal susceptibility testing showed high MICs for itraconazole, posaconazole, and miconazole. Short tandem repeat (STR) typing analysis presented high levels of similarity between these two isolates and clinical isolates with the same mutations reported from the Netherlands, Denmark, and China, as well as environmental isolates from Taiwan. Our findings might indicate that active searching for resistant A. fumigatus is necessary. They also represent a concern considering that our hospital provides tertiary care assistance to immunocompromised patients who may be exposed to resistant environmental isolates. We also serve patients who receive prophylactic antifungal therapy or treatment for invasive fungal infections for years. In these two situations, isolates resistant to the antifungal in use may be selected within the patients themselves. We do not know the potential of this azole-resistant A. fumigatus strain to spread throughout our country. In this scenario, the impact on the epidemiology and use of antifungal drugs will significantly alter patient care, as in other parts of the world. In summary, this finding is an important contribution to alert hospital laboratories conducting routine microbiological testing to perform azole resistance surveillance and antifungal susceptibility tests of A. fumigatus isolates causing infection or colonization in patients at high risk for systemic aspergillosis.

scholarly journals Molecular Identification, Antifungal Susceptibility Testing, and Mechanisms of Azole Resistance in Aspergillus Species Received within a Surveillance Program on Antifungal Resistance in Spain

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Rivero-Menendez ◽  
Juan Carlos Soto-Debran ◽  
Narda Medina ◽  
Jose Lucio ◽  
Emilia Mellado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Terreus ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Novel Mutation ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Antifungal Resistance ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Antifungal resistance is one of the major causes of the increasing mortality rates for fungal infections, especially for those caused by Aspergillus spp. A surveillance program was established in 2014 in the Spanish National Center for Microbiology for tracking resistance in the most prevalent Aspergillus species. A total of 273 samples were included in the study and were initially classified as susceptible or resistant according to EUCAST breakpoints. Several Aspergillus cryptic species were found within the molecularly identified isolates. Cyp51 mutations were characterized for Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, and Aspergillus flavus sensu stricto strains that were classified as resistant. Three A. fumigatus sensu stricto strains carried the TR34/L98H resistance mechanism, while two harbored G54R substitution and one harbored the TR46/Y121F/T289A mechanism. Seventeen strains had no mutations in cyp51A, with ten of them resistant only to isavuconazole. Three A. terreus sensu stricto strains harbored D344N substitution in cyp51A, one of them combined with M217I, and another carried an A249G novel mutation. Itraconazole-resistant A. flavus sensu stricto strains harbored P220L and H349R alterations in cyp51A and cyp51C, respectively, that need further investigation on their implication in azole resistance.

scholarly journals Epidemiology and Antifungal Susceptibility Profile of Aspergillus Species: Comparison between Environmental and Clinical Isolates from Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung-Yeon Cho ◽  
Dong-Gun Lee ◽  
Won-Bok Kim ◽  
Hye-Sun Chun ◽  
Chulmin Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Aspergillosis ◽  
Cryptic Species ◽  
Hematologic Malignancy ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Environmental Isolates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Culture Positive ◽  
Global Data

ABSTRACT Global data on the epidemiology and susceptibility of Aspergillus are crucial in the management of invasive aspergillosis. Here, we aimed to determine the characteristics of clinical and environmental Aspergillus isolates, focusing mainly on hematologic malignancy patients. We prospectively collected all consecutive cases and clinical isolates of culture-positive proven/probable invasive aspergillosis patients from January 2016 to April 2018 and sampled the air inside and outside the hospital. Cryptic species-level identification of Aspergillus, antifungal susceptibilities, and cyp51 gene sequencing were performed, and clinical data were analyzed. This study was conducted as part of the Catholic Hematology Hospital Fungi Epidemiology (CAFÉ) study. A total of 207 proven/probable invasive aspergillosis and 102 clinical and 129 environmental Aspergillus isolates were included in this analysis. The incidence of proven/probable invasive aspergillosis was 1.3 cases/1,000 patient-days during the study period. Cryptic Aspergillus species accounted for 33.8%, with no differences in proportions between the clinical and environmental isolates. Section Nigri presented a high proportion (70.5%) of cryptic species, mainly from A. tubingensis and A. awamori: the former being dominant in environmental samples, and the latter being more common in clinical isolates (P < 0.001). Of 91 A. fumigatus isolates, azole-resistant A. fumigatus was found in 5.3% of all A. fumigatus isolates. Three isolates presented the TR34/L98H mutation of the cyp51A gene. Patients with invasive aspergillosis caused by azole-resistant A. fumigatus showed 100% all-cause mortality at 100 days. This study demonstrates the significant portion of cryptic Aspergillus species and clinical implications of azole resistance and underscores the comparison between clinical and environmental isolates.

scholarly journals Multiplecyp51A-Based Mechanisms Identified in Azole-Resistant Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus from China

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (7) ◽  
pp. 4321-4325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Musang Liu ◽  
Rong Zeng ◽  
Lili Zhang ◽  
Dongmei Li ◽  
Guixia Lv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Resistant Isolate ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resistant Strains

ABSTRACTSeventy-twoA. fumigatusclinical isolates from China were investigated for azole resistance based on mutations ofcyp51A. We identified four azole-resistant strains, among which we found three strains highly resistant to itraconazole, two of which exhibit the TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I mutation, while one carries only the TR34/L98H mutation. To our knowledge, the latter has not been found previously in China. The fourth multiazole-resistant isolate (with only moderate itraconazole resistance) carries a new G432A mutation.

scholarly journals Extracellular DNA Release Acts as an Antifungal Resistance Mechanism in Mature Aspergillus fumigatus Biofilms

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 420-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjith Rajendran ◽  
Craig Williams ◽  
David F. Lappin ◽  
Owain Millington ◽  
Margarida Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Chitinase Activity ◽  
Antifungal Resistance ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Biofilm Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dnase Treatment

ABSTRACT Aspergillus fumigatus has been shown to form biofilms that are associated with adaptive antifungal resistance mechanisms. These include multidrug efflux pumps, heat shock proteins, and extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM is a key structural and protective component of microbial biofilms and in bacteria has been shown to contain extracellular DNA (eDNA). We therefore hypothesized that A. fumigatus biofilms also possess eDNA as part of the ECM, conferring a functional role. Fluorescence microscopy and quantitative PCR analyses demonstrated the presence of eDNA, which was released phase dependently (8 < 12 < 24 < 48 h). Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR showed that eDNA was identical to genomic DNA. Biofilm architectural integrity was destabilized by DNase treatment. Biochemical and transcriptional analyses showed that chitinase activity and mRNA levels of chitinase, a marker of autolysis, were significantly upregulated as the biofilm matured and that inhibition of chitinases affected biofilm growth and stability, indicating mechanistically that autolysis was possibly involved. Finally, using checkerboard assays, it was shown that combinational treatment of biofilms with DNase plus amphotericin B and caspofungin significantly improved antifungal susceptibility. Collectively, these data show that eDNA is an important structural component of A. fumigatus ECM that is released through autolysis, which is important for protection from environmental stresses, including antifungal therapy.

scholarly journals Single-Center Evaluation of an Agar-Based Screening for Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus by Using VIPcheck

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Buil ◽  
H. A. L. van der Lee ◽  
A. J. M. M. Rijs ◽  
J. Zoll ◽  
J. A. M. F. Hovestadt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Minimal Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mean Sensitivity ◽  
Selection Of

ABSTRACT Antifungal susceptibility testing is an essential tool for guiding therapy, although EUCAST and CLSI reference methods are often available only in specialized centers. We studied the performance of an agar-based screening method for the detection of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus cultures. The VIPcheck consists of four wells containing voriconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, or a growth control. Ninety-six A. fumigatus isolates were used. Thirty-three isolates harbored a known resistance mechanism: TR34/L98H (11 isolates), TR46/Y121F/T289A (6 isolates), TR53 (2 isolates), and 14 isolates with other cyp51A gene point mutations. Eighteen resistant isolates had no cyp51A-mediated azole resistance. Forty-five isolates had a wild-type (WT) azole phenotype. Four technicians and two inexperienced interns, blinded to the genotype/phenotype, read the plates visually after 24 h and 48 h and documented minimal growth, uninhibited growth, and no growth. The performance was compared to the EUCAST method. After 24 h of incubation, the mean sensitivity and specificity were 0.54 and 1.00, respectively, with uninhibited growth as the threshold. After 48 h of incubation, the performance mean sensitivity and specificity were 0.98 and 0.93, respectively, with minimal growth. The performance was not affected by observer experience in mycology. The interclass correlation coefficient was 0.87 after 24 h and 0.85 after 48 h. VIPcheck enabled the selection of azole-resistant A. fumigatus colonies, with a mean sensitivity and specificity of 0.98 and 0.93, respectively. Uninhibited growth on any azole-containing well after 24 h and minimal growth after 48 h were indicative of resistance. These results indicate that the VIPcheck is an easy-to-use tool for azole resistance screening and the selection of colonies that require MIC testing.

scholarly journals Epidemiology and Molecular Characterizations of Azole Resistance in Clinical and Environmental Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates from China

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 5878-5884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Chen ◽  
Zhongyi Lu ◽  
Jingjun Zhao ◽  
Ziying Zou ◽  
Yanwen Gong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Common Mutation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Resistance ◽  
Resistant Strains

ABSTRACTAzole resistance inAspergillus fumigatushas emerged as a worldwide public health problem. We sought here to demonstrate the occurrence and characteristics of azole resistance inA. fumigatusfrom different parts of China. A total of 317 clinical and 144 environmentalA. fumigatusisolates from 12 provinces were collected and subjected to screening for azole resistance. Antifungal susceptibility,cyp51Agene sequencing, and genotyping were carried out for all suspected azole-resistant isolates and a subset of azole-susceptible isolates. As a result, 8 (2.5%) clinical and 2 (1.4%) environmentalA. fumigatusisolates were identified as azole resistant. Five azole-resistant strains exhibit the TR34/L98H mutation, whereas four carry the TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I mutation in thecyp51Agene. Genetic typing and phylogenetic analysis showed that there was a worldwide clonal expansion of the TR34/L98H isolates, while the TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I isolates from China harbored a distinct genetic background with resistant isolates from other countries. High polymorphisms existed in thecyp51Agene that produced amino acid changes among azole-susceptibleA. fumigatusisolates, with N248K being the most common mutation. These data suggest that the wide distribution of azole-resistantA. fumigatusmight be attributed to the environmental resistance mechanisms in China.

scholarly journals Is Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus a Problem in Spain?

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 2815-2820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Escribano ◽  
Teresa Peláez ◽  
Patricia Muñoz ◽  
Emilio Bouza ◽  
Jesús Guinea
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Aspergillosis ◽  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Cryptic Species ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Tubulin Gene ◽  
Complex Species ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Β Tubulin

ABSTRACTAspergillus fumigatuscomplex comprisesA. fumigatusand other morphologically indistinguishable cryptic species. We retrospectively studied 362A. fumigatuscomplex isolates (353 samples) from 150 patients with proven or probable invasive aspergillosis or aspergilloma (2, 121, and 6 samples, respectively) admitted to the hospital from 1999 to 2011. Isolates were identified using the β-tubulin gene, and only 1 isolate per species found in each sample was selected. Antifungal susceptibility to azoles was determined using the CLSI M38-A2 procedure. Isolates were considered resistant if they showed an MIC above the breakpoints for itraconazole, voriconazole, or posaconazole (>2, >2, or >0.5 μg/ml). Most of the samples yielded only 1 species (A. fumigatus[n= 335],A. novofumigatus[n= 4],A. lentulus[n= 3],A. viridinutans[n= 1], andNeosartorya udagawae[n= 1]). The remaining samples yielded a combination of 2 species. Most of the patients were infected by a single species (A. fumigatus[n= 143] orA. lentulus[n= 2]). The remaining 5 patients were coinfected with multipleA. fumigatuscomplex species, althoughA. fumigatuswas always involved; 4 of the 5 patients were diagnosed in 2009 or later. Cryptic species were less susceptible thanA. fumigatus. The frequency of resistance amongA. fumigatuscomplex andA. fumigatusto itraconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole was 2.5 and 0.3%, 3.1 and 0.3%, and 4.2 and 1.8%, respectively, in the per-isolate analysis and 1.3 and 0.7%, 2.6 and 0.7%, and 6 and 4% in the per-patient analysis. Only 1 of the 6A. fumigatusisolates in which thecyp51Agene was sequenced had a mutation at position G448. The proportion of patients infected by azole-resistantA. fumigatusisolates was low.

scholarly journals Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus Clinical Isolates from an Italian Culture Collection

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 682-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Lazzarini ◽  
Maria Carmela Esposto ◽  
Anna Prigitano ◽  
Massimo Cogliati ◽  
Gabriella De Lorenzis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Culture Collection ◽  
Resistance Rate ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Resistant Isolate ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Italian Culture

ABSTRACTThe aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of azole resistance amongAspergillus fumigatusclinical isolates. A total of 533 clinical isolates that had been collected between 1995 and 2006, from 441 patients, were screened. No resistance was detected in isolates collected between 1995 and 1997. Starting in 1998, the resistance rate was 6.9%; a total of 24 patients (6.25%) harbored a resistant isolate. The TR34/L98H substitution was found in 21 of 30 tested isolates.

scholarly journals Molecular Identification, Antifungal Susceptibility Profile, and Biofilm Formation of Clinical and Environmental Rhodotorula Species Isolates

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 382-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Meneses Nunes ◽  
Fernando César Bizerra ◽  
Renata Carmona e Ferreira ◽  
Arnaldo Lopes Colombo
Keyword(s):  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Antifungal Susceptibility ◽  
Nitrate Assimilation ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Its Sequencing ◽  
Environmental Isolates ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTRhodotorulaspecies are emergent fungal pathogens capable of causing invasive infections, primarily fungemia. They are particularly problematic in immunosuppressed patients when using a central venous catheter. In this study, we evaluated the species distribution of 51 clinical and 8 environmentalRhodotorulaspecies isolates using the ID32C system and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Antifungal susceptibility testing and biofilm formation capability using a crystal violet staining assay were performed. Using ITS sequencing as the gold standard, the clinical isolates were identified as follows: 44R. mucilaginosaisolates, 2R. glutinisisolates, 2R. minutaisolates, 2R. dairenensisisolates, and 1Rhodosporidium fluvialeisolate. The environmental isolates included 7R. mucilaginosaisolates and 1R. slooffiaeisolate. Using the ID32C system, along with a nitrate assimilation test, only 90.3% of the isolates tested were correctly identified. In the biofilm formation assay,R. mucilaginosaandR. minutaexhibited greater biofilm formation ability compared to the otherRhodotorulaspecies; the clinical isolates ofR. mucilaginosashowed greater biofilm formation compared to the environmental isolates (P= 0.04). Amphotericin B showed goodin vitroactivity (MIC ≤ 1 μg/ml) against planktonic cells, whereas voriconazole and posaconazole showed poor activity (MIC50/MIC90, 2/4 μg/ml). Caspofungin and fluconazole MICs were consistently high for all isolates tested (≥64 μg/ml and ≥ 4 μg/ml, respectively). In this study, we emphasized the importance of molecular methods to correctly identifyRhodotorulaspecies isolates and non-R. mucilaginosaspecies in particular. The antifungal susceptibility profile reinforces amphotericin B as the antifungal drug of choice for the treatment ofRhodotorulainfections. To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating putative differences in the ability of biofilm formation among differentRhodotorulaspecies.

scholarly journals Azole Resistance of Environmental and Clinical Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates from Switzerland

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Riat ◽  
Jérôme Plojoux ◽  
Katia Gindro ◽  
Jacques Schrenzel ◽  
Dominique Sanglard
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Resistant Isolate ◽  
Azole Resistance ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Azole Antifungals ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACT Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen. This fungus can acquire resistance to azole antifungals due to mutations in the azole target ( cyp51A ). Recently, cyp51A mutations typical for environmental azole resistance acquisition (for example, TR 34 /L98H) have been reported. These mutations can also be found in isolates recovered from patients. Environmental azole resistance acquisition has been reported on several continents. Here we describe, for the first time, the occurrence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates of environmental origin in Switzerland with cyp51A mutations, and we show that these isolates can also be recovered from a few patients. While the TR 34 /L98H mutation was dominant, a single azole-resistant isolate exhibited a cyp51A mutation (G54R) that was reported only for clinical isolates. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that azole resistance with an environmental signature is present in environments and patients of Swiss origin and that mutations believed to be unique to clinical settings are now also observed in the environment.

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