title: Candida tropicalis isolates obtained from veterinary sources show resistance to azoles and produce virulence factors.
abstract: Candida tropicalis has been associated with invasive candidiasis, being the first or second most common non-Candida albicans Candida species isolated in humans with candidemia and candiduria, as well as being frequently isolated from healthy animals. This study aimed to characterize C. tropicalis isolates (n = 64) obtained from several animal species regarding antifungal susceptibility and production of virulence factors. The isolates were obtained from the microbiota of healthy animals (goats, n = 25; sheep, n = 6; psittacines, n = 14; rheas, n = 6; horses, n = 2; sirenians, n = 5; shrimp, n = 1), as well as from aquatic mammals found dead in the environment (cetaceans, n = 5). The isolates were subjected to in vitro susceptibility testing by broth microdilution according to the CLSI M27-A3 protocol against amphotericin B, caspofungin, itraconazole, and fluconazole. We also evaluated the virulence attributes, such as proteases and phospholipases, as well as biofilm formation. Resistance to itraconazole (n = 29) and fluconazole (n = 30) was detected among isolates from every source; resistance to both azoles was detected in 24 isolates, but none of them were resistant to amphotericin B and caspofungin. Protease production was detected in the majority of the isolates (n = 59), but phospholipase was produced by only a few of them (n = 6). The isolates showed different patterns in biofilm production, being considered strong producers (n = 41), moderate producers (n = 11), weak producers (n = 9) or non-producers (n = 3). In summary, C. tropicalis isolated from animals showed high rate of resistance to azoles, expressed virulence factors and therefore may represent a potential threat to human and animal health.
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil rossanacordeiro@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Rossana de Aguiar
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jonathas Sales
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Débora de Souza Collares Maia
authors.initials: Dde S
authors.lastname: Castelo-Branco
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Cordeiro
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisca Jakelyne de Farias
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil School of Veterinary, Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Science, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Vago
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor Luz
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil School of Medicine, Christus College - UNICHRISTUS, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tereza de Jesus Pinheiro Gomes
authors.initials: Tde J
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Brilhante
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Luciano Bezerra
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Waldemiro de Aquino
authors.initials: Wde A
authors.lastname: Pereira-Neto
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Júlio Costa
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sidrim
authors.affiliation: Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil School of Veterinary, Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Science, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Fábio Gadelha
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D004798:Enzymes / Q000032:analysis*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D004798:Enzymes; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Candida tropicalis; antifungals; resistance; susceptibility; virulence factors