Karin Santoro1,2, Slavica Matić1, Ulrich Gisi1, Davide Spadaro1,2, Massimo Pugliese1,2,3, Maria L Gullino1,2. 1. AGROINNOVA - Centre of Competence for the Innovation in the Agro-environmental Sector, Università di Torino, Grugliasco, (TO), Italy. 2. Dept. Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Università di Torino, Grugliasco, (TO), Italy. 3. AgriNewTech srl, Torino, (TO), Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aspergillus fumigatus is a widespread fungus that colonizes dead organic substrates but it can also cause fatal human diseases. Aspergilloses are treated with demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides; however, resistant isolates appeared recently in the medical and also environmental area. The present study aims at molecular characterizing and quantifying A. fumigatus in major environmental habitats and determining its sensitivity to medical and agricultural DMI fungicides. RESULTS: A. fumigatus was isolated only rarely from soil and meadow/forest organic matter but high concentrations (103 to 107 cfu/g) were detected in substrates subjected to elevated temperatures, such as compost and silage. High genetic diversity of A. fumigatus from compost was found based on SSR markers, distinguishing among fungal isolates even when coming from the same substrate sample, while subclustering was observed based on mutations in cyp51A gene. Several cyp51A amino acid substitutions were found in 15 isolates, although all isolates were fully sensitive to the tested DMI fungicides, with exception of one isolate in combination with one fungicide. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the tested A. fumigatus isolates collected in Italy, Spain and Hungary from the fungus' major living habitats (compost) and commercial growing substrates are not potential carriers for DMI resistance in the environment.
BACKGROUND:Aspergillus fumigatus is a widespread fungus that colonizes dead organic substrates but it can also cause fatal human diseases. Aspergilloses are treated with demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides; however, resistant isolates appeared recently in the medical and also environmental area. The present study aims at molecular characterizing and quantifying A. fumigatus in major environmental habitats and determining its sensitivity to medical and agricultural DMI fungicides. RESULTS:A. fumigatus was isolated only rarely from soil and meadow/forest organic matter but high concentrations (103 to 107 cfu/g) were detected in substrates subjected to elevated temperatures, such as compost and silage. High genetic diversity of A. fumigatus from compost was found based on SSR markers, distinguishing among fungal isolates even when coming from the same substrate sample, while subclustering was observed based on mutations in cyp51A gene. Several cyp51A amino acid substitutions were found in 15 isolates, although all isolates were fully sensitive to the tested DMI fungicides, with exception of one isolate in combination with one fungicide. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the tested A. fumigatus isolates collected in Italy, Spain and Hungary from the fungus' major living habitats (compost) and commercial growing substrates are not potential carriers for DMI resistance in the environment.
Authors: Jennifer M G Shelton; Roseanna Collins; Christopher B Uzzell; Asmaa Alghamdi; Paul S Dyer; Andrew C Singer; Matthew C Fisher Journal: Appl Environ Microbiol Date: 2022-01-05 Impact factor: 4.792
Authors: Sijmen E Schoustra; Alfons J M Debets; Antonius J M M Rijs; Jianhua Zhang; Eveline Snelders; Peter C Leendertse; Willem J G Melchers; Anton G Rietveld; Bas J Zwaan; Paul E Verweij Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2019-07 Impact factor: 6.883
Authors: Jianhua Zhang; Lidia Lopez Jimenez; Eveline Snelders; Alfons J M Debets; Anton G Rietveld; Bas J Zwaan; Paul E Verweij; Sijmen E Schoustra Journal: Appl Environ Microbiol Date: 2021-01-04 Impact factor: 4.792