Molecular epidemiology, phylogeny and evolution of dermatophytes.
Dermatophytes are fungi that invade and propagate in the keratinized skin of mammals, including humans, often causing contagious infections. The species of medical concern belong to the genera Microsporum, Trichophyton, Epidermophyton (in their anamorphic state) and Arthroderma (in their telomorphic state), which were traditionally identified based on their morphology and biochemical characters. Nonetheless, limitations linked to the differentiation of closely related agents at species and strains level have been recently overcome by molecular studies. Indeed, an accurate identification of dermatophytes is pivotal for the establishment of effective control and prevention programs as well as for determining the most appropriate and effective antifungal therapies to be applied. This article reviews the DNA techniques and the molecular markers used to identify and to characterize dermatophyte species, as well as aspects of their phylogeny and evolution. The applications of typing molecular strain to both basic and applied research (e.g., taxonomy, ecology, typing of infection, antifungal susceptibility) have also been discussed.
Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Bari, Str. prov. le per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy. Electronic address: claudia.cafarchia@uniba.it.
Claudia
C
Cafarchia
Roberta
R
Iatta
Maria Stefania
MS
Latrofa
Yvonne
Y
Gräser
Domenico
D
Otranto
D000818:Animals; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004821:Epidermophyton / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D016681:Genome, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008864:Microsporum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005819:Genetic Markers
Dermatophytes; Evolution; Molecular epidemiology; Phylogeny; Taxonomy