title: Virulence markers of opportunistic black yeast in Exophiala.
abstract: The black yeast genus Exophiala is known to cause a wide variety of diseases in severely ill individuals but can also affect immunocompetent individuals. Virulence markers and other physiological parameters were tested in eight clinical and 218 environmental strains, with a specific focus on human-dominated habitats for the latter. Urease and catalase were consistently present in all samples; four strains expressed proteinase and three strains expressed DNase, whereas none of the strains showed phospholipase, haemolysis, or co-haemolysis activities. Biofilm formation was identified in 30 (13.8%) of the environmental isolates, particularly in strains from dishwashers, and was noted in only two (25%) of the clinical strains. These results indicate that virulence factors are inconsistently present in the investigated Exophiala species, suggesting opportunism rather than pathogenicity.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Hafize
authors: H
authors: Sav
authors: Department of Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Fatma
authors: F
authors: Ozakkas
authors: Department of Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Rabiye
authors: R
authors: Altınbas
authors: Department of Microbiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Nuri
authors: N
authors: Kiraz
authors: Department of Microbiology, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors: Ayşegül
authors: A
authors: Tümgör
authors: Department of Microbiology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ramazan
authors: R
authors: Gümral
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey.
authors: Aylin
authors: A
authors: Döğen
authors: Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey.
authors: Macit
authors: M
authors: Ilkit
authors: CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.|King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: G Sybren
authors: GS
authors: de Hoog
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005093:Exophiala / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060446:Phaeohyphomycosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014510:Urease / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D037521:Virulence Factors; D002374:Catalase; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; D010740:Phospholipases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D014510:Urease
keywords: Biofilm; carbohydrate; opportunistic; pathogen; proteinase; virulence