The present study investigated the environmental distribution ofCryptococcus neoformansandC. gattiispeciescomplex molecular types, mating types and sequence types in Apulia, a region of Southern Italy. A total of 2078specimens from arboreal and animal sources were analyzed. The percentage of positive samples was similaramong both arboreal and animal specimens: 4.2% vs. 5.1% forC. neoformansspecies complex and 0.6% vs. 1.4%forC. gattiispecies complex. Molecular typing identified 78 isolates as VNI (76αA and two aA), one as AD-hybridαADa, and 16 as VGI aB. VNI isolates presented 10 different sequence types (STs) and VGI isolates two.The most frequent STs amongC. neoformansandC. gattiispecies complex isolates were ST23 (51%) and ST156(90%), respectively. Comparison with molecular types and STs results obtained from 21 clinical isolates col-lected in Apulia showed that oneC. neoformansVNI clinical isolate shared an identical sequence type of onearboreal isolate (ST61) and that oneC. gattiiVGI clinical isolate matched with the main ST (ST156) present in theenvironment. In addition, molecular type VNIV was found only among clinical isolates and was absent in theinvestigated environmental area. In conclusion, the present study identified whichC. neoformansandC. gattiispecies complex genotypes are circulating in Apulia, defined their ecological niches and revealed the relation-ship with clinical cases. It represents a basal study for addressing future investigations and public health in-terventions in the region
Molecular characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii from environmental sources and genetic comparison with clinical isolates in Apulia, Italy
De Donno, Antonella;Serio, Francesca;Bagordo, Francesco;
2018-01-01
Abstract
The present study investigated the environmental distribution ofCryptococcus neoformansandC. gattiispeciescomplex molecular types, mating types and sequence types in Apulia, a region of Southern Italy. A total of 2078specimens from arboreal and animal sources were analyzed. The percentage of positive samples was similaramong both arboreal and animal specimens: 4.2% vs. 5.1% forC. neoformansspecies complex and 0.6% vs. 1.4%forC. gattiispecies complex. Molecular typing identified 78 isolates as VNI (76αA and two aA), one as AD-hybridαADa, and 16 as VGI aB. VNI isolates presented 10 different sequence types (STs) and VGI isolates two.The most frequent STs amongC. neoformansandC. gattiispecies complex isolates were ST23 (51%) and ST156(90%), respectively. Comparison with molecular types and STs results obtained from 21 clinical isolates col-lected in Apulia showed that oneC. neoformansVNI clinical isolate shared an identical sequence type of onearboreal isolate (ST61) and that oneC. gattiiVGI clinical isolate matched with the main ST (ST156) present in theenvironment. In addition, molecular type VNIV was found only among clinical isolates and was absent in theinvestigated environmental area. In conclusion, the present study identified whichC. neoformansandC. gattiispecies complex genotypes are circulating in Apulia, defined their ecological niches and revealed the relation-ship with clinical cases. It represents a basal study for addressing future investigations and public health in-terventions in the regionI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
