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Molecular and phenotypic characterization of Phialemonium and Lecythophora isolates from clinical samples

H Perdomo1, D A Sutton, D García

  • 1Mycology Unit, Medical School, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/ Sant LLorenç 21, 43201-Reus-Tarragona, Spain.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|January 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

This study identifies clinical fungal isolates, finding Phialemonium and Lecythophora species are common causes of human and animal infections. Accurate identification is crucial for understanding the frequency of these difficult-to-diagnose fungi.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Fungal Taxonomy

Background:

  • Phialemonium and Lecythophora fungi occasionally cause severe infections in humans and animals.
  • These fungal species present identification challenges and their clinical prevalence is poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To morphologically and molecularly characterize 68 clinical isolates suspected to be Phialemonium or Lecythophora.
  • To determine the frequency and accurate identification of these fungi in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological characterization of fungal isolates.
  • Molecular identification using large-subunit ribosomal DNA (lsrDNA) sequence analysis.
  • Comparison with known fungal genera and species.

Main Results:

  • 59 of 68 isolates were identified: 32 Phialemonium spp., 6 Cephalotheca spp., 20 Lecythophora spp., and 1 Coniochaeta sp.
  • Phialemonium obovatum and Phialemonium curvatum were the most common species identified.
  • Lecythophora hoffmannii, Cephalotheca foveolata, and Lecythophora mutabilis were also frequently identified.

Conclusions:

  • Morphological and molecular methods successfully identified clinical isolates belonging to Phialemonium, Lecythophora, and related genera.
  • This study provides crucial data on the prevalence of these clinically significant fungi.
  • Accurate identification of Phialemonium and Lecythophora is essential for managing infections caused by these agents.

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