Magdalena Skóra

Molecular taxonomy of scopulariopsis-like fungi with description of new clinical and environmental species.

The taxonomy of scopulariopsis-like fungi, comprising numerous human opportunistic species, has recently been reassessed with delineation of the genera Microascus, Pithoascus, Pseudoscopulariopsis, and Scopulariopsis, using morphological data and multilocus sequence analysis based on four loci (ITS, LSU, EF-1α, and TUB). In this study, the same genetic markers were used to investigate a set of clinical and environmental isolates, morphologically identified as Microascus and Scopulariopsis spp. The ingroups of the concatenated phylogenetic tree resolved 41 species clades, with isolates distributed in four main lineages corresponding to the genera Microascus, Pithoascus, Scopulariopsis, and newly established genus Fuscoannellis, typified by Scopulariopsis carbonaria. The new species Microascus chinensis, Microascus onychoides, Microascus pseudolongirostris, Pithoascus lunatus, and Scopulariopsis macurae were described. Microascus trigonosporus var. terreus and Scopulariopsis alboflavescens were found different from M. trigonosporus and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, respectively. All the species identified in the study, except Fuscoannellis carbonaria and S. macurae, originated from clinical samples, suggesting their potential role in human disease. The use of a four marker combination was demonstrated an efficient and reliable approach to infer phylogenetic relationships among the scopulariopsis-like fungi. Yet, the only genetic marker able to discriminate all species was EF-1α, therefore proposed as a secondary barcode for the identification of these fungi.

21-year retrospective study of the prevalence of Scopulariopsis brevicaulis in patients suspected of superficial mycoses

Introduction In the genus Scopulariopsis, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis is the most common aetiological agent of infections in humans. It usually affects nails and is one of the commonest moulds associated with onychomycoses. Other forms of infections (skin, subcutaneous, deep tissues, and disseminated infections) have also been described. Aim To examine the prevalence of S. brevicaulis in clinical materials obtained from patients suspected of keratinized tissues mycoses. Material and methods The analysis of the prevalence of S. brevicaulis in clinical specimens was based on mycological tests results carried out for patients who were referred with a suspicion of superficial mycoses to the Department of Mycology, Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College from 1992 till 2012. Results In the years 1992–2012 16,815 clinical samples (nail scrapings, nail swabs, skin scrapings, skin swabs, hair) were collected. Pathogenic fungi were detected in 7193 samples and S. brevicaulis was present in 255 (3.5%). The prevalence of S. brevicaulis in males and females was comparable. The species was most often isolated from toenails (80%), both from males and females. In the analysed period we observed a decrease in the prevalence of S. brevicaulis. In most cases (60%) S. brevicaulis occurred alone in 40% of S. brevicaulis positive cultures, other fungi were also isolated. The fungi most frequently isolated with S. brevicaulis were Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Penicillium sp., Candida sp., and Aspergillus sp. Conclusions Scopulariopsis brevicaulis is not a common cause of superficial fungal infections of keratinized tissues, but is a typical mould associated with toenail onychomycosis. A proper identification of this species in onychomycoses is essential for the implementation of effective antifungal therapy.