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Genetic diversity among clinical Coccidioides spp. isolates in Arizona

Kelsea Jewell1, Ronald Cheshier, Gary D Cage

  • 1Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. kelsea.jewell@seattlechildrens.org

Medical Mycology
|July 9, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Rising coccidioidomycosis cases in Arizona are not due to a dominant hypervirulent Coccidioides posadasii strain. Genetic analysis of clinical isolates revealed no specific strain driving the increase in Valley fever infections.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley fever, is endemic to the southwestern United States.
  • Increasing incidence of coccidioidomycosis in Arizona has raised concerns about potential hypervirulent fungal strains.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether an increase in coccidioidomycosis cases in Arizona is associated with a dominant, hypervirulent strain of Coccidioides species.
  • To analyze the genetic diversity of Coccidioides isolates from Arizona using microsatellite markers.

Main Methods:

  • Collected 121 clinical Coccidioides spp. isolates from four Arizona counties over 16 months.
  • Analyzed isolates using length polymorphisms in nine distinct microsatellite regions to assess genetic variation.
  • Performed phylogenetic analysis to identify dominant genetic patterns.

Main Results:

  • The majority of isolates (119/121) were identified as Coccidioides posadasii.
  • Microsatellites K03, GA37, and K01 demonstrated the highest discriminatory power for C. posadasii.
  • Phylogenetic analysis revealed no dominant microsatellite pattern among the isolates, indicating genetic diversity.

Conclusions:

  • The observed increase in coccidioidomycosis cases in Arizona is not linked to a single dominant or hypervirulent strain of Coccidioides posadasii.
  • Genetic diversity exists within Coccidioides posadasii populations in Arizona.

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