Four uncommon clinical fungi, Lodderomyces elongisporus, Kodamaea ohmeri, Cyberlindnera fabianii and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, isolated in superficial samples from Côte d'Ivoire.

AIMS: The rare yeast species Lodderomyces elongisporus, Kodamaea ohmeri, Cyberlindnera fabianii, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus are increasingly implicated in severe mycoses in immunocompromised patients. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of uncommon yeast species in Côte d'Ivoire. METHODS: The yeast isolates from superficial samples, mainly vaginal swabs, were collected at the Pasteur Institute of Abidjan in a study on the molecular epidemiology of clinical yeast species. Identification relied on MALDI-TOF MS and ITS sequence analysis. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the CLSI method. RESULTS: Of the 315 strains analysed from 227 outpatients, 14 belonged to 4 uncommon species: Lodderomyces elongisporus, Kodamaea ohmeri, Cyberlindnera fabianii, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus. None exhibited elevated fluconazole, amphotericin B, caspofungin, ketoconazole, or flucytosin MIC. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of these rare yeasts represents a risk in immunocompromised people. Their adequate and timely identification is a priority. Overall, enhancing the mycoses diagnostic capacities in Côte d'Ivoire, and more generally in African clinical laboratories with limited resources is a critical aim.

Exposure of Cryptococcus neoformans to Seven Commonly Used Agricultural Azole Fungicides Induces Resistance to Fluconazole as Well as Cross-Resistance to Voriconazole, Posaconazole, Itraconazole and Isavuconazole.

BACKGROUND: Cross-resistance to medical azoles by exposure to azole pesticides is well documented for Aspergillus family fungi but is poorly evaluated for other environmental pathogen fungi, particularly for yeasts belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complexes. METHODS: One thousand C. neoformans yeast were exposed to various concentrations of seven different commonly used azole pesticides. Clones surviving exposure were picked randomly, and their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of fluconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole and isavuconazole were assessed. RESULTS: Depending on the pesticide used for exposure, up to 13.3% of selected Cryptococcus colonies showed a phenotype of resistance to fluconazole, and among them, several showed cross-resistance to another or several other medical azoles. Molecular mechanisms involved in the resistance setups seem to be dependent on ERG11 and AFR1 gene overexpression. CONCLUSION: Exposure to any of the seven azole pesticides tested is capable of increasing the MIC of fluconazole in C. neoformans, including up to the level of the fluconazole-resistant phenotype, as well as generating cross-resistance to other medical azoles in some cases.

Search for Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii Complexes and Related Genera (Filobasidium, Holtermanniella, Naganishia, Papiliotrema, Solicoccozyma, Vishniacozyma) spp. Biotope: Two Years Surveillance of Wild Avian Fauna in Southern France.

Fungi belonging to the Cryptococcus genus and related genera (Filobasidium, Holtermanniella, Naganishia, Papiliotrema, Solicoccozyma, Vishniacozyma) are encapsulated yeasts found in either the environment or animal sources. However, the precise biotopes of most species remain poorly defined. To assess whether wild birds from southern France can carry or spread the most pathogenic species (i.e., species belonging to the C. neoformans and C. gattii complexes), as well as lesser-studied species (non-neoformans/gattii Cryptococcus and former Cryptococcus spp.), 669 birds belonging to 89 species received for care over a two-year period at the Centre de Protection de la Faune Sauvage of Villeveyrac (Bird Protection League nongovernmental organization (NGO) care center) were sampled. Samples were cultured, and Cryptococcus and former Cryptococcus yeasts were identified by PCR sequencing. The purpose was to evaluate whether there was any health risk to local populations or care personnel in aviaries and gather new data on the ecological niches of lesser-known species. One hundred and seven birds (16%) were found to be positive for at least one Cryptococcus or former Cryptococcus species. No yeasts belonging to the highly pathogenic C. neoformans or C. gattii complexes were isolated. However, diversity was notable, with 20 different Cryptococcus or former Cryptococcus species identified. Furthermore, most bird-yeast species associations found in this study have never been described before.