title: Molecular characterization of strains of the Trichophyton verrucosum complex from Tunisia.
abstract: Trichophyton verrucosum is the most frequent etiologic agent of cattle dermatophytosis. Throughout the world, it was the second most common agent of zoophilic dermatophytes in human. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of the PCR- RFLP and PCR-sequencing methods for the identification and differentiation of T. verrucosum strains.Thirty-six clinical strains identified by morphological characteristics as T. verrucosum were isolated from patients referred to parasitology-mycology laboratory of Sfax University Hospital. Identification of our strains by conventional methods was confirmed by molecular methods in 94.4% of cases. Two strains were reclassified as T. violaceum PCR products digested with HinfI produced three profiles and two patterns with MvaI. Sequence analysis revealed a polymorphism in the ITS1and 5.8S regions. Analysis and alignment of consensus sequences has distinguished two types of genotypes among our T. verrucosum strains. The ITS type I was the dominant genotype (93.7%). Phylogenetic study showed that one cluster comprised T. verrucosum strains with ITS type I and species of T. mentagrophytes complex. It was related to Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii complex. The other cluster contained the two T. verrucosum strains with ITS type II, and was related to Arthroderma benhamiae complex. In this study, most of T. verrucosum isolates were type I, dissimilar to others rare studies where type II has been the most common. Specie and strain differentiation is relevant because it helps in prescribing the correct treatment and determining the source of the infection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, Habib Bourguiba-university hospital-Sfax - Tunisia Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sourour
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neji
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, Habib Bourguiba-university hospital-Sfax - Tunisia Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Houaida
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Trabelsi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hadrich
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, Habib Bourguiba-university hospital-Sfax - Tunisia Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheikhrouhou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, Habib Bourguiba-university hospital-Sfax - Tunisia Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sellami
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, Habib Bourguiba-university hospital-Sfax - Tunisia Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Fattouma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Makni
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology - Mycology, Habib Bourguiba-university hospital-Sfax - Tunisia Laboratory of Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology, School of Medicine-university of Sfax, Tunisia ali.ayadi@rns.tn.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayadi
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014005:Tinea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S
keywords: ITS regions; PCR –RFLP; Phylogeny; Sequencing; Trichophyton verrucosum