Coinfection of domestic felines by distinct Sporothrix brasiliensis in the Brazilian sporotrichosis hyperendemic area

Author(s):Show less -

Macedo-Sales, Pamella Antunes ^[1] ; Pereira Souza, Lucieri Olegario ^[2] ; Della-Terra, Paula Portella ^[3] ; Lozoya-Perez, Nancy Edith ^[4] ; Dantas Machado, Ricardo Luiz ^{[1, 5]} ; da Silva da Rocha, Elisabeth Martins ^{[1, 5]} ; Lopes-Bezerra, Leila Maria ^[6] ; Guimaraes, Allan Jefferson ^[7] ; Rodrigues, Anderson Messias ; Manuel Mora-Montes, Hector ^[4] ; Souza dos Santos, Andre Luis ^[2] ; de Souza Baptista, Andrea Regina ^{[1, 5]}

Affiliation

^[1] Fed Fluminense Univ, Ctr Microorganisms Invest, Niteroi, RJ - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Lab Adv Studies Emerging & Resistant Microorganis, Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Lab Emerging Fungal Pathogens, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Guanajuato, Div Exact & Nat Sci, Dept Biol, Guanajuato - Mexico

^[5] Guimaraes, Allan Jefferson, Fed Fluminense Univ, Biomed Inst, Dept Microbiol \& Parasitol, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil.Macedo-Sales, Pamella Antunes, Fed Fluminense Univ, Ctr Microorganisms Invest, Niteroi, RJ - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Inovacao Empreendedorismo & Tecnol, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[7] Fed Fluminense Univ, Biomed Inst, Dept Microbiol & Parasitol, Niteroi, RJ - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Fungal Genetics and Biology; v. 140, JUL 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Microbial interactions may impact patient's diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Sporotrichosis is a hyperendemic neglected zoonosis in Brazil, caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis. Four pairs of clinical isolates of Sporothrix were recovered from four diseased cats (CIM01-CIM04, two isolates per animal) raising the possibility of coinfection in a sporotrichosis hyperendemic area, Brazil. Each isolate of the pair had distinct pigmentation in mycological culture, and was designated as ``Light{''} or ``Dark{''}, for low and high pigmentation, respectively. Dark isolates reacted strongly with monoclonal antibodies to melanin (p = 0.05) by both ELISA and FACS quantitation, and displayed a ring pattern with some regions exhibiting higher punctuated labeling at cell wall by immunofluorescence. In turn, Light isolates reacted less intensely, with few and discrete punctuated labeling at the cell wall. PCR identified all isolates as S. brasiliensis, MAT1-2 idiomorph. Sequencing of beta-tubulin and calmodulin genes followed by phylogenetic analysis placed all eight isolates within the same cluster as others from the Brazilian hyperendemic area. The ability of these strains to stimulate cytokine production by human PBMCs (Peripheral blood mononuclear cells) was also analyzed. CIM01 and CIM03 Light and Dark isolates showed similar cytokine profiles to the control strain, while CIM02 and CIM04 behaved differently (p < 0.001), suggesting that differences in the surface of the isolates can influence host-fungus interaction. MICs for amphotericin B, terbinafine, caspofungin, micafungin, itraconazole, fluconazole, and voriconazole were obtained (CLSI M38-A2/M27-A3). Pairwise comparisons showed distinct MICs between Sporothrix Light and Dark isolates, higher than at least two-fold dilutions, to at least one of the antifungals tested. Isolates from the same pair displayed discrepancies in relation to fungistatic or fungicidal drug activity, notably after itraconazole exposure. Since S. brasiliensis Light and Dark isolates show disparate phenotypic parameters it is quite possible that coinfection represents a common occurrence in the hyperendemic area, with potential clinical implications on feline sporotrichosis dynamics. Alternatively, future studies will address if this specie may have, as reported for other fungi, broad phenotypic plasticity. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/27265-5 - Molecular epidemiology and genomic perspectives on the evolution and spread of emerging fungal pathogens
• Grantee: Anderson Messias Rodrigues
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants