title: Aspergillus pragensis sp. nov. discovered during molecular reidentification of clinical isolates belonging to Aspergillus section Candidi.
abstract: The identity of nine clinical isolates recovered from Czech patients and presumptively identified as Aspergillus sp. section Candidi based on colony morphology was revised using sequences of β-tubulin, calmodulin gene sequence, and internal transcribed spacer rDNA. Six isolates were from suspected and proven onychomycosis, one from otitis externa, and two associated with probable invasive aspergillosis. The results showed that one Aspergillus candidus isolate was the cause of otitis externa, and both isolates obtained from sputa of patients with probable invasive aspergillosis were reidentified as A. carneus (sect. Terrei) and A. flavus (sect. Flavi). Three isolates from nail scrapings were identified as A. tritici, a verified agent of nondermatophyte onychomycosis. One isolate from toenail was determined to be A. candidus and the two isolates belonged to a hitherto undescribed species, Aspergillus pragensis sp. nov. This species is well supported by phylogenetic analysis based on β-tubulin and calmodulin gene and is distinguishable from other members of sect. Candidi by red-brown reverse on malt extract agar, slow growth on Czapek-Dox agar and inability to grow at 37°C. A secondary metabolite analysis was also provided with comparison of metabolite spectrum to other species. Section Candidi now encompasses five species for which a dichotomous key based on colony characteristics is provided. All clinical isolates were tested for susceptibilities to selected antifungal agents using the Etest and disc diffusion method. Overall sect. Candidi members are highly susceptible to common antifungals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 128 01 Praha 2, Czech Republic Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology of the AS CR, v.v.i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Praha 4, Czech Republic hubka@biomed.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Vit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hubka
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Department of Parasitology, Mycology and Mycobacteriology Prague, Public Health Institute in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavlina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lyskova
authors.affiliation: Department for Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Soltofts Plads, Building 221, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Frisvad
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Foodborne Pathogens and Mycology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venerology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skorepova
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 128 01 Praha 2, Czech Republic Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology of the AS CR, v.v.i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Praha 4, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolarik
mesh_terms: D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000382:microbiology; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000235:genetics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018153:Czech Republic; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D014404:Tubulin
keywords: Aspergillus candidus; Aspergillus tritici; antifungal susceptibility testing; nondermatophyte onychomycosis; otomycosis; polyphasic approach