Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast causing mainly opportunistic infections. DNA molecular typing techniques divided C. neoformans into four major molecular types (AFLP1/VNI, AFLP1A/VNB/VNII, AFLP1B/VNII, AFLP3/VNIII, AFLP2/VNIV) characterized by different pathogenicity, geographical distribution and susceptibility to antifungal treatments. In this study 170 Italian C. neoformans clinical isolates (CI) and 32 environmental isolates (EI), collected and serotyped during a ten-year period (1985 to 1995), were genotyped using [GACA]4 microsatellite PCR fingerprinting. The molecular types were compared to their geographic distribution, specimen sources and patient’s risk factors. All four molecular types were described among the CI and only VNI and VNIV among the EI. VNIV molecular type was isolated with significant prevalence among the CI and VNI among the EI. A different geographical distribution of molecular types was detected: VNIV was the most prevalent in the North and Center of Italy, VNIII was isolated almost exclusively in the Center. No significant correlation among molecular types versus predisposing diseases or isolation sources were detected. The strains isolated from different body sites of the same patient (17 cases) were of the same genotype. Five out 9 cases relapsed with a different molecular type. This preliminary investigation shows a high intraspecies variability and reveals a non-homogeneous distribution of C. neoformans molecular types in Italy.

Molecular typing of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated in Italy / Pini, Gabriella; Eleonora, Bravetti; Elisabetta, Faggi. - In: OPEN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY. - ISSN 2165-3380. - ELETTRONICO. - 7:(2017), pp. 77-85. [10.4236/ojmm.2017.74007]

Molecular typing of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated in Italy

Pini Gabriella
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
BRAVETTI, ELEONORA
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
Elisabetta Faggi
Supervision
2017

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast causing mainly opportunistic infections. DNA molecular typing techniques divided C. neoformans into four major molecular types (AFLP1/VNI, AFLP1A/VNB/VNII, AFLP1B/VNII, AFLP3/VNIII, AFLP2/VNIV) characterized by different pathogenicity, geographical distribution and susceptibility to antifungal treatments. In this study 170 Italian C. neoformans clinical isolates (CI) and 32 environmental isolates (EI), collected and serotyped during a ten-year period (1985 to 1995), were genotyped using [GACA]4 microsatellite PCR fingerprinting. The molecular types were compared to their geographic distribution, specimen sources and patient’s risk factors. All four molecular types were described among the CI and only VNI and VNIV among the EI. VNIV molecular type was isolated with significant prevalence among the CI and VNI among the EI. A different geographical distribution of molecular types was detected: VNIV was the most prevalent in the North and Center of Italy, VNIII was isolated almost exclusively in the Center. No significant correlation among molecular types versus predisposing diseases or isolation sources were detected. The strains isolated from different body sites of the same patient (17 cases) were of the same genotype. Five out 9 cases relapsed with a different molecular type. This preliminary investigation shows a high intraspecies variability and reveals a non-homogeneous distribution of C. neoformans molecular types in Italy.
2017
7
77
85
Pini, Gabriella; Eleonora, Bravetti; Elisabetta, Faggi
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1107418
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