Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', Bari, Italy.
Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
Environ Res. 2018 Jan;160:347-352. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.09.032. Epub 2017 Oct 17.
The present study investigated the environmental distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii species complex molecular types, mating types and sequence types in Apulia, a region of Southern Italy. A total of 2078 specimens from arboreal and animal sources were analyzed. The percentage of positive samples was similar among both arboreal and animal specimens: 4.2% vs. 5.1% for C. neoformans species complex and 0.6% vs. 1.4% for C. gattii species complex. Molecular typing identified 78 isolates as VNI (76 αA and two aA), one as AD-hybrid αADa, and 16 as VGI aB. VNI isolates presented 10 different sequence types (STs) and VGI isolates two. The most frequent STs among C. neoformans and C. gattii species complex isolates were ST23 (51%) and ST156 (90%), respectively. Comparison with molecular types and STs results obtained from 21 clinical isolates collected in Apulia showed that one C. neoformans VNI clinical isolate shared an identical sequence type of one arboreal isolate (ST61) and that one C. gattii VGI clinical isolate matched with the main ST (ST156) present in the environment. In addition, molecular type VNIV was found only among clinical isolates and was absent in the investigated environmental area. In conclusion, the present study identified which C. neoformans and C. gattii species complex genotypes are circulating in Apulia, defined their ecological niches and revealed the relationship with clinical cases. It represents a basal study for addressing future investigations and public health interventions in the region.
本研究调查了意大利南部普利亚地区新型隐球菌和隐球菌复合种的环境分布、交配型和序列型。共分析了 2078 份树木和动物来源的标本。树木和动物标本的阳性样本比例相似：新型隐球菌复合种为 4.2%和 5.1%，格特隐球菌复合种为 0.6%和 1.4%。分子分型鉴定出 78 株为 VNI（76 个αA 和 2 个 aA）、1 株为 AD-杂种 αADa 和 16 株为 VGI aB。VNI 分离株有 10 种不同的序列型（ST），VGI 分离株有 2 种。新型隐球菌和格特隐球菌复合种分离株中最常见的 ST 分别为 ST23（51%）和 ST156（90%）。与在普利亚收集的 21 株临床分离株的分子类型和 ST 结果进行比较，发现一株新型隐球菌 VNI 临床分离株与一株树木分离株（ST61）具有相同的序列型，一株格特隐球菌 VGI 临床分离株与环境中主要存在的 ST（ST156）相匹配。此外，VNIV 分子类型仅在临床分离株中发现，在调查的环境区域中不存在。总之，本研究确定了普利亚地区流行的新型隐球菌和隐球菌复合种基因型，确定了它们的生态位，并揭示了与临床病例的关系。这是该地区未来调查和公共卫生干预的基础研究。
