Open AccessEvolution of virulence-related phenotypes of Sporothrix brasiliensis isolates from patients with chronic sporotrichosis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Author(s) -
Ingrid Ludmila Rodrigues Cruz,
Dayvison Francis Saraiva Freitas,
Priscila Marques de Macedo,
Maria Clara Gutierrez-Galhardo,
Antônio Carlos Francesconi do Valle,
Marcos de Abreu Almeida,
Rowena Alves Coelho,
Fábio Brito-Santos,
Maria Helena Galdino Figueiredo-Carvalho,
Rosely Maria ZancopéOliveira,
Rodrigo AlmeidaPaes
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
brazilian journal of microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1678-4405
pISSN - 1517-8382
DOI - 10.1007/s42770-020-00297-y
Subject(s) - sporotrichosis , virulence , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , sporothrix , phenotype , antifungal drug , immunodeficiency , immunology , antifungal , genetics , gene , immune system
Sporotrichosis in immunocompromised patients has a high morbidity and may cause deaths. Particularly, patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with low T CD4 counts develop a chronic disease, with severe and widespread forms. Recently, the ability of Sporothrix brasiliensis, the main agent of zoonotic sporotrichosis, to increase its virulence in a diabetic patient without HIV infection was described. Since it was a unique finding, it is not known how often this occurs in patients with chronic and refractory sporotrichosis. The aim of this study is to compare sequential Sporothrix isolates obtained from patients with sporotrichosis and AIDS in order to detect changes in virulence-related phenotypes and acquisition of antifungal resistance during the evolution of the disease. Fungal growth in different substrates, antifungal susceptibility, thermotolerance, resistance to oxidative stress, and production of hydrolytic enzymes were evaluated. Correlations were assessed between clinical and phenotypic variables. Sixteen isolates, all identified as S. brasiliensis, obtained from five patients were studied. They grew well on glucose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, but poorly on lactate. Except from isolates collected from two patients, which were non-wild type for terbinafine, they were considered wild type for the antifungal drugs tested. Thermotolerance of the isolates was moderate to high. Except for phytase and phospholipase, isolates were able to produce virulence-related enzymes on different levels. Changes in all studied phenotypes were observed during the course of the disease in some patients. The results show that the HIV-driven immunosuppression is more relevant than fungal phenotypes on the unfavorable outcomes of disseminated sporotrichosis.