Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Nocardia isolates and proposition of identification algorithm

• Grant number: 10/19122-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Erica Chimara Silva
• Grantee: Erica Chimara Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL). Coordenadoria de Controle de Doenças (CCD). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carlos Pelleschi Taborda ; Gil Benard ; Gilda Maria Barbaro Del Negro ; Lucilaine Ferrazoli

Abstract

The genus Nocardia is formed by a gram positive bacillus, filamentous, partially alcohol-acid resistant, and has its phylogeny defined according to the sequences of genes 16rRNA. The biochemical approach and the morphology analysis are inconclusive for the characterization of the genus and species. Molecular tools are then required for the confirmation of species and genus definition. Due to the increase in the number of immunocompromised patients and patients with Aids, this pathogen has emerged as an opportunistic threat. The development of molecular tools for the identification and differentiation of the genus Nocardia spp among the aerobic actynomyces lead to a revolution in its taxonomy, with 36 new species being identified. The present work aims to identify 55 actinomycets obtained from the fungal culture collection of the Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo and 25 isolates from the Adolfo Lutz Institute. These isolates will be identified through morphological evaluation, biochemical tests, in vitro susceptibility tests, and by the molecular tool called PRA-hsp65. After that, it will be developed an algorithm for identification of the genus Nocardia combining the evaluation of each technique utilized for the isolates characterization. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MENDES MURICY, EDNA CLEIDE; LEMES, ROMILDA APARECIDA; BOMBARDA, SIDNEY; FERRAZOLI, LUCILAINE; CHIMARA, ERICA. Diferenciação de Nocardia spp. e Mycobacterium spp.: aspectos críticos para o diagnóstico bacteriológico. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, v. 56, n. 5, p. 397-401, SEP-OCT 2014. (10/19122-0)