title: PCR-Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) genes sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of clinical and environmental Aspergillus species associated with HIV-TB co infected patients in a hospital in Abeokuta, southwestern Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aspergillosis has been identified as one of the hospital acquired infections but the contribution of water and inhouse air as possible sources of Aspergillus infection in immunocompromised individuals like HIV-TB patients have not been studied in any hospital setting in Nigeria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify and investigate genetic relationship between clinical and environmental Aspergillus sp. associated with HIV-TB co infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA extraction, purification, amplification and sequencing of Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) genes were performed using standard protocols. Similarity search using BLAST on NCBI was used for species identification and MEGA 5.0 was used for phylogenetic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses of sequenced ITS genes of selected fourteen (14) Aspergillus isolates identified in the GenBank database revealed Aspergillus niger (28.57%), A. tubingensis (7.14%), A. flavus (7.14%) and A. fumigatus (57.14%). Aspergillus in sputum of HIV patients were Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, A. tubingensis and A. flavus. Also, A. niger and A. fumigatus were identified from water and open-air. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences yielded genetic relatedness between clinical and environmental isolates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Water and air in health care settings in Nigeria are important sources of Aspergillus sp. for HIV-TB patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olufunke Bolatito
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Shittu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oluwabunmi Molade
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Adelaja
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Biosciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Tolulope Mobolaji
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Obuotor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Sam Olufemi
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Sam-Wobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adeyemi Sunday
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Adenaike
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000382:microbiology; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D060085:Coinfection; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
keywords: HIV-TB; Internal transcribed spacer genes; clinical and environmental fungi; genetic relationship; phylogenetic