TY - JOUR
T1 - Species Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibilities of Aspergillus Section Terrei Isolates in Clinical Samples from the United States and Description of Aspergillus pseudoalabamensis sp. nov.
AU - Cañete-Gibas, Connie F.
AU - Patterson, Hoja P.
AU - Sanders, Carmita J.
AU - Mele, James
AU - Fan, Hongxin
AU - David, Marjorie
AU - Wiederhold, Nathan P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/4
Y1 - 2023/4
N2 - Aspergillus section Terrei consists of numerous cryptic species in addition to A. terreus sensu stricto. The treatment of invasive infections caused by these fungi may pose a unique challenge prior to diagnosis and species identification, in that they are often clinically resistant to amphotericin B, with poor outcomes and low survival rates in patients treated with this polyene. Data on the species distributions and susceptibility profiles of isolates within section Terrei from the United States (U.S.) are limited. Here, we report the species distributions and susceptibility profiles for amphotericin B, isavuconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, and micafungin against 278 clinical isolates of this section from institutions across the U.S. collected over a 52-month period. Species identification was performed by DNA sequence analysis and phenotypic characterization. Susceptibility testing was performed using the CLSI broth microdilution method. The majority of isolates were identified as Aspergillus terreus sensu stricto (69.8%), although several other cryptic species were also identified. Most were cultured from specimens collected from the respiratory tract. Posaconazole demonstrated the most potent activity of the azoles (MIC range ≤ 0.03–1 mg/L), followed by itraconazole (≤0.03–2 mg/L), voriconazole, and isavuconazole (0.125–8 mg/L for each). Amphotericin B demonstrated reduced in vitro susceptibility against this section (MIC range 0.25–8 mg/L), although this appeared to be species-dependent. A new species within this section, A. pseudoalabamensis, is also described. Our results, which are specific to the U.S., are similar to previous surveillance studies of the Aspergillus section Terrei.
AB - Aspergillus section Terrei consists of numerous cryptic species in addition to A. terreus sensu stricto. The treatment of invasive infections caused by these fungi may pose a unique challenge prior to diagnosis and species identification, in that they are often clinically resistant to amphotericin B, with poor outcomes and low survival rates in patients treated with this polyene. Data on the species distributions and susceptibility profiles of isolates within section Terrei from the United States (U.S.) are limited. Here, we report the species distributions and susceptibility profiles for amphotericin B, isavuconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, and micafungin against 278 clinical isolates of this section from institutions across the U.S. collected over a 52-month period. Species identification was performed by DNA sequence analysis and phenotypic characterization. Susceptibility testing was performed using the CLSI broth microdilution method. The majority of isolates were identified as Aspergillus terreus sensu stricto (69.8%), although several other cryptic species were also identified. Most were cultured from specimens collected from the respiratory tract. Posaconazole demonstrated the most potent activity of the azoles (MIC range ≤ 0.03–1 mg/L), followed by itraconazole (≤0.03–2 mg/L), voriconazole, and isavuconazole (0.125–8 mg/L for each). Amphotericin B demonstrated reduced in vitro susceptibility against this section (MIC range 0.25–8 mg/L), although this appeared to be species-dependent. A new species within this section, A. pseudoalabamensis, is also described. Our results, which are specific to the U.S., are similar to previous surveillance studies of the Aspergillus section Terrei.
KW - Aspergillus pseudoalabamensis
KW - Aspergillus section Terrei
KW - antifungal susceptibility
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U2 - 10.3390/pathogens12040579
DO - 10.3390/pathogens12040579
M3 - Article
C2 - 37111465
AN - SCOPUS:85156171982
SN - 2076-0817
VL - 12
JO - Pathogens
JF - Pathogens
IS - 4
M1 - 579
ER -