Exploring the diversity and pathogenicity of species isolated from clinical in Southern China.

In recent years, some species of have emerged as human pathogens but rarely reported from Southern China, the endemic region of . To investigate the diversity of species in Southern China, we collected 59 clinical isolates, which were identified as 11 different species through molecular analysis. Notably, several species exhibited phenotypic characteristics similar to , such as red pigment production at 25°C and monoverticillate or biverticillate conidiophores with globose to subglobose conidia, potentially leading to misidentification. Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed distinct drug susceptibility profiles between and other species. Furthermore, seven species demonstrated growth at 37°C and induced inflammatory lung damage in mice, suggesting their pathogenic potential. These emerging pathogens were primarily isolated from respiratory tract samples of immunocompromised patients. Our findings highlight the rich diversity of species clinically in Southern China, emphasizing the critical importance of considering their potentially pathogenic.