title: Multilocus sequence typing of Scedosporium apiospermum and Pseudallescheria boydii isolates from cystic fibrosis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scedosporium and Pseudallescheria species are the second most common lung-colonising fungi in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. For epidemiological reasons it is important to trace sources of infection, routes of transmission and to determine whether these fungi are transient or permanent colonisers of the respiratory tract. Molecular typing methods like multilocus sequence typing (MLST) help provide this data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical isolates of the P. boydii complex (including S. apiospermum and P. boydii) from CF patients in different regions of Germany were studied using MLST. Five gene loci, ACT, CAL, RPB2, BT2 and SOD2, were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The S. apiospermum isolates from 34 patients were assigned to 32 sequence types (STs), and the P. boydii isolates from 14 patients to 8 STs. The results revealed that patients can be colonised by individual strains for years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MLST scheme developed for S. apiospermum and P. boydii is a highly effective tool for epidemiologic studies worldwide. The MLST data are accessible at http://mlst.mycologylab.org/.
authors.affiliation: Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sedlacek
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Würstl
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tintelnot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011541:Pseudallescheria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021681:Scedosporium / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004271:DNA, Fungal
keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Genotyping; MLST; Pseudallescheria boydii; Scedosporium apiospermum