Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche ''Togo Rosati''

Authors Sgariglia E, Pitzurra L, Capuccella M, Passamonti F, Tortorano A, Franco A, Agnetti F

Abstract In the last twenty years, several studies showed a greater interest in the field of fungal disease both in human and veterinary medicine, also because some mycoses are zoonoses. Since this background, by a "one health approach" point of view, therapy is definitely a critical point in managing a mycotic pathology. Indeed, fungal infections are still often difficult to diagnose and, above all, to be handled, particularly in the case of strains that are resistant to common antifungal drugs. Aim of this research project (RC IZSUM 04/2014) were:

• isolation, identification and evaluation of the sensitivity to the antimycotics of fungi isolated from human and various animal species;
• characterization of the isolates by molecular methods and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF);
• standardization of the test of susceptibility to antifungal drugs for animal strains, both for filamentous fungi and yeast;
• study about the resistance factors, with particular reference to animal strains;
• dissemination of the results on national and international papers and/or conference proceedings.

Samples were collected both from human and animals and subsequently incubated according to the mycology lab standards, once they were in the laboratory under sterility and within 24 hours of collection. After the appropriate incubation time, colonies were identified on the basis of morphological (macroscopic and microscopic), biochemical (micro method galleries - API® and Vitek II®), molecular (PCR and sequencing) and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) features. The molecular typing of yeast, dermatophytes and non-dermatophytic molds was performed by PCR and sequencing. In parallel, the same samples were analyzed using MALDI-TOF MS technique. The fungal identification methods were subsequently compared using statistical tests. The sensitivity to antimycotics and determination of MIC values (using broth Sensititre Y010 plates, microdilution according to EUCAST and molecular technique for the research for genetic resistance mutations) were evaluated. During the research period, a total of 2,188 fungal strains were collected, of which: 2,114 yeast, 38 dermatophytes and 36 non-dermatophytic molds. The most fungal species isolated were Candida albicans, Microsporum canis and Aspergillus fumigatus. From a general point of view about the antifungal sensitivity, the various isolated fungi showed resistance rates on average in line with those reported by other authors; exceptions were found in the following cases:

• high percentage of resistance (50%) to Fluconazole in Candida isolates of animal origin;
• low levels of resistance (4.6%) in Candida isolates of both human and animal origin with respect to 5-fluorocytosin;
• variability in the percentage of resistance of Aspergillus to Amphotericin B;
• almost total resistance of dermatophytes, both from human and animal origin, to 5-fluorocytosin (87%).

Publish Date 2018

Volume 106

ISSN 1592-1581

DOI No

URL https://www.spvet.it/archivio/numero-106/676.html

Journal Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria

Pages No

PMID No