ABSTRACT
Cryptococcosis is primarily caused by two Cryptococcus species, i.e., Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii. Both include several genetically diverse subgroups that can be differentiated using various molecular strain typing methods. Since little is known about the molecular epidemiology of the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complex in Japan, we conducted a molecular epidemiological analysis of 35 C. neoformans isolates from non-HIV patients in Nagasaki, Japan and 10 environmental isolates from Thailand. All were analyzed using URA5-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Combined sequence data for all isolates were evaluated with the neighbor-joining method. All were found to be serotype A and mating type MATα. Thirty-two of the 35 clinical isolates molecular type VNI, while the three remaining isolates were VNII as determined through the URA5-RFLP method. Thirty-one of the VNI isolates were identified as MLST sequence type (ST) 5, the remaining one was ST 32 and the three VNII isolates were found to be ST 43. All the environmental isolates were identified as molecular type VNI (four MLST ST 5 and six ST 4). Our study shows that C. neoformans isolates in Nagasaki are genetically homogeneous, with most of the isolates being ST 5.
Subject(s)
Cryptococcosis/epidemiology , Cryptococcosis/microbiology , Cryptococcus neoformans/classification , Cryptococcus neoformans/genetics , Multilocus Sequence Typing , Mycological Typing Techniques , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cluster Analysis , Cryptococcus neoformans/isolation & purification , Environmental Microbiology , Female , Genes, Mating Type, Fungal , Genotype , Humans , Japan/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Molecular Epidemiology , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , Serotyping , Thailand/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Aspergillus udagawae and A. fumigatus share similar morphological features but they differ genetically. There is also an important clinical distinction as A. udagawae is less sensitive to amphotericin B than A. fumigatus. We encountered a rare case of bronchial infection due to A. udagawae that was successfully treated with voriconazole. An 82-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus complained of bloody sputum. Bronchoscopy revealed a white plugged region at the origin of the right bronchi B5. Cytological study revealed a clot composed of filamentous fungi and Aspergillus spp. was detected by culture. Molecular analysis revealed that the causative agent was A. udagawae, and voriconazole was used for the treatment. In comparison to A. fumigatus, the A. udagawae strain isolated in this case was less sensitive to amphotericin B, less virulent in immunosuppressed mice, and more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide, features that are almost identical to those of the previously reported isolates of the fungus. We should be aware of the emergence of new Aspergillus species that might pose a clinical threat.