Development of resistance gene primers in Candida haemulonii complex strains

• Grant number: 19/26037-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Marcia de Souza Carvalho Melhem
• Grantee: Dality Keffelen de Barros Rodrigues
• Supervisor: Elizabeth L. Berkow
• Host Institution: Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL). Coordenadoria de Controle de Doenças (CCD). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/18996-9 - Cryptic Candida species among bloodstream isolates: identification and susceptibility pattern to azole drugs, BP.MS

Abstract

Candida yeasts make up the most prevalent microorganisms in the hospital environment and can develop infections at various body sites, from the skin to widespread infections in the bloodstream. Among the species of clinical importance are those belonging to the Candida haemulonii complex, namely: Candida haemulonii stricto sensu, Candida haemulonii var. vulnera and Candida duobushaemulonii. This species complex promotes great public health interest because it has a distinct antifungal susceptibility profile and commonly presents multi-resistance. Besides, the Candida haemulonii complex relies on molecular techniques to discriminate and can be misidentified as Candida auris, another emerging and multi-resistant species. There are no accurate estimates of the prevalence of this complex, few reports in the literature describing it, and so far no study explaining the factors that induce its antifungal resistance. Thus, this research aims to design primers for the detection of genes related to fluconazole resistance through complete genome sequencing and the creation of a phylogenetic map. This research will take place at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which will provide technological and scientific support. The frozen and lyophilized clinical strains come from the Adolfo Lutz Institute Micoteca, São Paulo State Reference Canter and the CDC. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of these still little-studied species, opening windows for further research in this field, which may assist in public health therapy and surveillance. (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)

RODRIGUES, DALITY KEFFELEN DE BARROS; LOCKHART, SHAWN R.; BERKOW, ELIZABETH L.; GADE, LALITHA; BONFIETTI, LUCAS XAVIER; GIMENES, VIVIANE MAZO FAVERO; RUIZ, LUCIANA SILVA; MACIONI, MILENA BRONZE; MELHEM, MARCIA DE SOUZA CARVALHO. Whole-genome sequencing of Candida haemulonii species complex from Brazil and the United States: Genetic diversity and antifungal susceptibility. Medical Mycology, v. 61, n. 4, p. 9-pg., 2023-04-03. (19/26037-4, 18/18996-9, 17/50333-7)