Scedosporium spp. from Clinical Setting in Argentina, with the Proposal of the New Pathogenic Species Scedosporium americanum

Species of the genus Scedosporium (family Microascaceae, phylum Ascomycota) are responsible for a wide range of opportunistic human infections, and have a low susceptibility to most antifungal drugs. It is well known that the pattern of Scedosporium species distribution varies according to geographic region. To assess the diversity of Scedosporium species in Argentina involved in human infections, we carried out a retrospective study reviewing 49 strains from clinical samples sent for diagnosis to the National Clinical Mycology Reference Laboratory between 1985 and 2019. Then, a phenotypic characterization, a phylogenetic study and and in vitro susceptibility test to antifungals were carried out. An analysis of combined nucleotide sequences dataset of the internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal DNA (ITS) and of a fragment of the β-tubulin gene (BT2) demonstrated that 92 % of the strains belonged to the species S. boydii, S. apiospermum and S. angustum, all them pertaining to S. apiospermum species complex. However, two strains (4%) were identified as S. aurantiacum, a species never reported in clinical settings in the Americas’. Surprisingly, one of them displayed a polycytella-like conidiogenesis, up to date only reported for S. apiospermum. In addition, the strain DMic 165285 was phylogenetically located far away from the rest of the species, so is proposed as the novel species Scedosporium americanum. On the other hand, from all seven antifungals tested, voriconazole and posaconazole were the most active drugs against Scedosporium spp.

Scedosporiosis/lomentosporiosis observational study (SOS): Clinical significance of Scedosporium species identification

Scedosporiosis/lomentosporiosis is a devastating emerging fungal infection. Our objective was to describe the clinical pattern and to analyze whether taxonomic grouping of the species involved was supported by differences in terms of clinical presentations or outcomes. We retrospectively studied cases of invasive scedosporiosis in France from 2005 through 2017 based on isolates characterized by polyphasic approach. We recorded 90 cases, mainly related to Scedosporium apiospermum (n = 48), S. boydii/S. ellipsoideum (n = 20), and Lomentospora prolificans (n = 14). One-third of infections were disseminated, with unexpectedly high rates of cerebral (41%) and cardiovascular (31%) involvement. In light of recent Scedosporium taxonomic revisions, we aimed to study the clinical significance of Scedosporium species identification and report for the first time contrasting clinical presentations between infections caused S. apiospermum, which were associated with malignancies and cutaneous involvement in disseminated infections, and infections caused by S. boydii, which were associated with solid organ transplantation, cerebral infections, fungemia, and early death. The clinical presentation of L. prolificans also differed from that of other species, involving more neutropenic patients, breakthrough infections, fungemia, and disseminated infections. Neutropenia, dissemination, and lack of antifungal prescription were all associated with 3-month mortality. Our data support the distinction between S. apiospermum and S. boydii and between L. prolificans and Scedosporium sp. Our results also underline the importance of the workup to assess dissemination, including cardiovascular system and brain. Lay Summary Scedosporiosis/lomentosporiosis is a devastating emerging fungal infection. Our objective was to describe the clinical pattern and to analyze whether taxonomic grouping of the species involved was supported by differences in terms of clinical presentations or outcomes.

1148. Activity of Posaconazole and Comparator Antifungal agents Tested Against Filamentous Fungi

Background Posaconazole (POS) is a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal that exhibits potent antifungal activity against a variety of yeasts and molds. We evaluated the in vitro activities of posaconazole and comparator antifungal agents against 2,554 isolates of filamentous fungi including 2,100 Aspergillus species and 454 non-Aspergillus moulds (98 Fusarium, 81 Mucorales and 76 Scedosporium species isolates) collected worldwide in 2010-2018 from clinically significant infections. Methods Isolates were identified using sequencing and/or MALDI-TOF MS methods. Posaconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, caspofungin, anidulafungin, micafungin, and amphotericin B were tested using the reference broth microdilution method according to CLSI guidelines. Results Posaconazole showed comparable activity to itraconazole and voriconazole against A. fumigatus. Categorical agreement between posaconazole and the other azoles tested against A. fumigatus ranged from 98.2-98.7%. Most of the Aspergillus species isolates tested (>90%) were WT to all azoles and echinocandins. Among the isolates of A. fumigatus, the rate of NWT strains varied across the different geographic regions. The frequency of azole NWT strains of A. fumigatus from Europe increased steadily from 2010 to 2018. There was no consistent trend for an increased frequency of NWT strains from other geographic areas. The azoles and echinocandins showed poor activity against Fusarium and Scedosporium species. Posaconazole (MIC50/90, 1/2 mg/L) and amphotericin B (MIC50/90, 1/2 mg/L) were the most active agents against the Mucorales isolates. Conclusion Posaconazole exhibited excellent activity against most species of Aspergillus and was comparable to itraconazole and voriconazole. Most Aspergillus species remain susceptible to triazoles. Although there was no evidence for an increasing frequency of NWT strains among A. fumigatus isolates from North America, Latin America or the Asia-Pacific region, we confirm an increase in the rate of NWT strains to all three triazoles among isolates from Europe. Disclosures Mariana Castanheira, PhD, 1928 Diagnostics (Research Grant or Support)A. Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite S.R.L. (Research Grant or Support)Allergan (Research Grant or Support)Allergan (Research Grant or Support)Amplyx Pharmaceuticals (Research Grant or Support)Cidara Therapeutics (Research Grant or Support)Cidara Therapeutics (Research Grant or Support)Cipla Ltd. (Research Grant or Support)Cipla Ltd. (Research Grant or Support)Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center (Research Grant or Support)GlaxoSmithKline (Research Grant or Support)Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Research Grant or Support)Merck & Co, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Merck & Co, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Paratek Pharma, LLC (Research Grant or Support)Pfizer (Research Grant or Support)Qpex Biopharma (Research Grant or Support) Cecilia G. Carvalhaes, MD, PhD, A. Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite S.R.L. (Research Grant or Support)Allergan (Research Grant or Support)Cidara Therapeutics (Research Grant or Support)Cipla Ltd. (Research Grant or Support)Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center (Research Grant or Support)Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Research Grant or Support)Merck (Research Grant or Support)Merck & Co, Inc. (Research Grant or Support)Pfizer (Research Grant or Support) Mary Motyl, PhD, Merck & Co, Inc (Employee, Shareholder) Seongah Han, PhD, Merck & Co, Inc. (Employee) Havilland Campbell, BS, Merck & Co, Inc. (Employee)

In vitro activity of olorofim against clinical isolates of Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans using EUCAST and CLSI methodologies

Objectives To evaluate the in vitro activity of olorofim, a new broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action, against a collection of 123 Spanish clinical isolates belonging to five Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans. Methods The activity of olorofim against Scedosporium apiospermum (n = 30), Scedosporium boydii (n = 30), Scedosporium ellipsoideum (n = 10), Scedosporium aurantiacum (n = 20), Scedosporium dehoogii (n = 3) and Lomentospora prolificans (n = 30) was compared with that of amphotericin B, voriconazole, isavuconazole and micafungin by performing EUCAST and CLSI reference methods for antifungal susceptibility testing. Results Amphotericin B and isavuconazole showed MICs ≥2 mg/L for all the species evaluated and voriconazole was moderately active (GM, MIC50 and MIC90 values ≤2 mg/L) against all of them except L. prolificans. Micafungin was effective against S. apiospermum complex strains, but exhibited elevated MECs for S. dehoogii and S. aurantiacum. Olorofim showed low MICs for all the Scedosporium strains tested (GM values were lower than 0.130 and 0.339 by the EUCAST method and the CLSI method, respectively, for all of the species), including those belonging to the MDR species L. prolificans, for which GM values were 0.115 and 0.225 mg/L by the EUCAST method and the CLSI method, respectively, while the GMs for the rest of the antifungals evaluated were higher than 3.732 mg/L using both methodologies. Conclusions Olorofim displayed promising in vitro activity against the Scedosporium and L. prolificans strains tested, some of which have reduced susceptibility to the antifungals that are currently in use.