A revision of malbranchea-like fungi from clinical specimens in the United States of America reveals unexpected novelty

Ernesto Rodríguez-Andrade, José F. Cano-Lira, Nathan Wiederhold, Alba Pérez-Cantero, Josep Guarro, Alberto M. Stchigel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

The fungi of the order Onygenales can cause important human infections; however, their taxonomy and worldwide occurrence is still little known. We have studied and identified a representative number of clinical fungi belonging to that order from a reference laboratory in the USA. A total of 22 strains isolated from respiratory tract (40%) and human skin and nails (27.2%) showed a malbranchea-like morphology. Six genera were phenotypically and molecularly identified, i.e. Auxarthron/Malbranchea (68.2%), Arachnomyces (9.1%), Spiromastigoides (9.1%), and Currahmyces (4.5%), and two newly proposed genera (4.5% each). Based on the results of the phylogenetic study, we synonymized Auxarthron with Malbranchea, and erected two new genera: Pseudoarthropsis and Pseudomalbranchea. New species proposed are: Arachnomyces bostrychodes, A. graciliformis, Currahmyces sparsispora, Malbranchea gymnoascoides, M. multiseptata, M. stricta, Pseudoarthropsis crassispora, Pseudomalbranchea gemmata, and Spiromastigoides geomycoides, along with a new combination for Malbranchea gypsea. The echinocandins showed the highest in vitro antifungal activity against the studied isolates, followed by terbinafine and posaconazole; in contrast, amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and 5-fluorocytosine were less active or lacked in vitro activity against these fungi.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number25
JournalIMA Fungus
Volume12
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Antifungals
  • Arachnomycetales
  • Auxarthron
  • Clinical fungi
  • Malbranchea
  • New taxa
  • Onygenales

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)

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