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PCR-based identification and strain typing of Pichia anomala using the ribosomal intergenic spacer region IGS1

Sonia Bhardwaj1, Rajeshwari Sutar2, Anand K Bachhawat2

  • 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.

Journal of Medical Microbiology
|January 25, 2007
PubMed

Insights

A new PCR method rapidly identifies Pichia anomala fungal infections in children. This technique accurately distinguishes P. anomala from similar species and confirms outbreak sources, improving patient care.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Pichia anomala fungaemia outbreaks in pediatric patients necessitate rapid diagnostic tools.
  • Accurate identification and strain typing are crucial for outbreak investigation and control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a specific PCR-based method for rapid identification of Pichia anomala.
  • To characterize P. anomala isolates at the strain level using molecular techniques.
  • To re-evaluate previous outbreak investigations using the new molecular method.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a PCR assay targeting the rRNA gene intergenic spacer region 1 (IGS1).
  • Application of the PCR method to 106 P. anomala isolates (77 outbreak, 29 post-outbreak).
  • Comparative analysis with conventional morphological/biochemical methods and BLAST analysis of ITS sequences.

Main Results:

  • The PCR method accurately identified P. anomala isolates.
  • Eleven isolates previously misidentified by conventional methods were correctly identified as Pichia guilliermondii (8) and Debaryomyces hansenii (3).
  • Strain typing confirmed a point-source outbreak of P. anomala.

Conclusions:

  • The developed PCR method offers rapid and accurate identification of P. anomala.
  • IGS sequence polymorphisms are valuable for molecular typing and epidemiological studies.
  • This approach can be extended for typing other microbial organisms.

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