title: Environmental Screening for the Scedosporium apiospermum Species Complex in Public Parks in Bangkok, Thailand.
abstract: The Scedosporium apiospermum species complex, comprising filamentous fungal species S. apiospermum sensu stricto, S. boydii, S. aurantiacum, S. dehoogii and S. minutispora, are important pathogens that cause a wide variety of infections. Although some species (S. boydii and S. apiospermum) have been isolated from patients in Thailand, no environmental surveys of these fungi have been performed in Thailand or surrounding countries. In this study, we isolated and identified species of these fungi from 68 soil and 16 water samples randomly collected from 10 parks in Bangkok. After filtration and subsequent inoculation of samples on Scedo-Select III medium, colony morphological examinations and microscopic observations were performed. Scedosporium species were isolated from soil in 8 of the 10 parks, but were only detected in one water sample. Colony morphologies of isolates from 41 of 68 soil samples (60.29%) and 1 of 15 water samples (6.67%) were consistent with that of the S. apiospermum species complex. Each morphological type was selected for species identification based on DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the β-tubulin gene. Three species of the S. apiospermum species complex were identified: S. apiospermum (71 isolates), S. aurantiacum (6 isolates) and S. dehoogii (5 isolates). In addition, 16 sequences could not be assigned to an exact Scedosporium species. According to our environmental survey, the S. apiospermum species complex is widespread in soil in Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.|Center for Emerging and Neglected Infectious Diseases, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Nakorn Pathom, 73170, Thailand.
authors.forename: Natthanej
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7964-5298
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luplertlop
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.|Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Bangkok, 10600, Thailand.
authors.forename: Potjaman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pumeesat
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Watcharamat
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Muangkaew
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.|Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand.
authors.forename: Thanwa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wongsuk
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 228220, España.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alastruey-Izquierdo
mesh_terms: D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D017150:Public Sector; D011998:Recreation; D021681:Scedosporium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013785:Thailand; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin