Lichtheimia hongkongensis sp. nov., a novel Lichtheimia spp. associated with rhinocerebral, gastrointestinal, and cutaneous mucormycosis.
Three thermotolerant "Absidia-like" isolates with unique morphologic characteristics, recovered from nasopharyngeal swab of a liver transplant recipient, gastric biopsy of a renal transplant recipient, and skin biopsy of a man with burn, respectively, were characterized. Microscopic examination showed nonseptate hyphae with highly branched sporangiophores. Uniquely, most side branches were circinate, and abundant pleomorphic giant cells with fingerlike projections were observed, characteristics absent from other Absidia/Lichtheimia spp. ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rRNA gene cluster, partial EF1alpha gene, and partial beta-actin gene sequencing showed that the 3 strains formed a distinct cluster, most closely related to, but distinct from, Lichtheimia corymbifera, Lichtheimia blakesleeana, and Lichtheimia hyalospora. Based on the morphologic and genotypic characteristics, we propose a new species, Lichtheimia hongkongensis sp. nov., to describe this fungus, which caused rhinocerebral, gastrointestinal, and cutaneous mucormycosis, respectively, in 3 patients. A significant proportion of L. corymbifera associated with mucormycosis reported may be L. hongkongensis.
State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. hkumicro@hkucc.hku.hk
Patrick C Y
PC
Woo
Susanna K P
SK
Lau
Antonio H Y
AH
Ngan
Edward T K
ET
Tung
Shui-Yee
SY
Leung
Kelvin K W
KK
To
Vincent C C
VC
Cheng
Kwok-Yung
KY
Yuen
D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009090:Mucorales / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*