Project description:Apophysomyces variabilis is an emerging fungal pathogen that can cause significant infections in immunocompetent patients. We report a case of A. variabilis invasive wound infection in a 21-year-old male after a self-inflicted burn injury.
Project description:Mucormycosis caused by Apophysomyces variabilis is rarely reported in humans. A case of A. variabilis infection in an immunocompetent men after friction burns in a car accident is described. The infection presented as a rapidly progressive necrotizing infection of the skin and soft tissue, which required extensive surgical debridement and total colonic defunctioning colostomy associated with prolonged antifungal therapy. A. variabilis infection should be considered as a differential diagnosis of rapidly progressive necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections in immunocompetent individuals.
Project description:A zygomycetous fungus was observed in a biopsy of a 9-year-old male. The patient was presented with severe cutaneous lesions subsequent to a traumatic car accident. Following fungal detection, antifungal treatment was prescribed but condition deteriorated rapidly and above knee amputation was done as lifesaving and to control fungal infection. Analysis of the 28 S rRNA gene (accession KT149770) aligned the isolate with members of the genus Apophysomyces and the pathogen was identified as Apophysomces variabilis.
Project description:BackgroundApophysomyces species are prevalent in tropical countries and A. variabilis is the second most frequent agent causing mucormycosis in India. Among Apophysomyces species, A. elegans, A. trapeziformis and A. variabilis are commonly incriminated in human infections. The genome sequences of A. elegans and A. trapeziformis are available in public database, but not A. variabilis. We, therefore, performed the whole genome sequence of A. variabilis to explore its genomic structure and possible genes determining the virulence of the organism.ResultsThe whole genome of A. variabilis NCCPF 102052 was sequenced and the genomic structure of A. variabilis was compared with already available genome structures of A. elegans, A. trapeziformis and other medically important Mucorales. The total size of genome assembly of A. variabilis was 39.38 Mb with 12,764 protein-coding genes. The transposable elements (TEs) were low in Apophysomyces genome and the retrotransposon Ty3-gypsy was the common TE. Phylogenetically, Apophysomyces species were grouped closely with Phycomyces blakesleeanus. OrthoMCL analysis revealed 3025 orthologues proteins, which were common in those three pathogenic Apophysomyces species. Expansion of multiple gene families/duplication was observed in Apophysomyces genomes. Approximately 6% of Apophysomyces genes were predicted to be associated with virulence on PHIbase analysis. The virulence determinants included the protein families of CotH proteins (invasins), proteases, iron utilisation pathways, siderophores and signal transduction pathways. Serine proteases were the major group of proteases found in all Apophysomyces genomes. The carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) constitute the majority of the secretory proteins.ConclusionThe present study is the maiden attempt to sequence and analyze the genomic structure of A. variabilis. Together with available genome sequence of A. elegans and A. trapeziformis, the study helped to indicate the possible virulence determinants of pathogenic Apophysomyces species. The presence of unique CAZymes in cell wall might be exploited in future for antifungal drug development.
Project description:A fatal case of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) affected a 40-year-old woman who was initially admitted to our hospital due to a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Her clinical condition worsened, and she finally died because of respiratory failure, hemodynamic instability, and mucormycosis with invasion into the orbit and probably the brain. According to DNA sequence analysis of the fungus isolated from the patient, Apophysomyces variabilis was involved. This is the first published case of CAM and the third case of mucormycosis due to this mold.
Project description:We aimed to define the taxonomic status of 16 strains which were phenetically congruent with Acinetobacter DNA group 15 described by Tjernberg & Ursing in 1989. The strains were isolated from a variety of human and animal specimens in geographically distant places over the last three decades. Taxonomic analysis was based on an Acinetobacter-targeted, genus-wide approach that included the comparative sequence analysis of housekeeping, protein-coding genes, whole-cell profiling based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), an array of in-house physiological and metabolic tests, and whole-genome comparative analysis. Based on analyses of the rpoB and gyrB genes, the 16 strains formed respective, strongly supported clusters clearly separated from the other species of the genus Acinetobacter. The distinctness of the group at the species level was indicated by average nucleotide identity values of ≤82 % between the whole genome sequences of two of the 16 strains (NIPH 2171(T) and NIPH 899) and those of the known species. In addition, the coherence of the group was also supported by MALDI-TOF MS. All 16 strains were non-haemolytic and non-gelatinase-producing, grown at 41 °C and utilized a rather limited number of carbon sources. Virtually every strain displayed a unique combination of metabolic and physiological features. We conclude that the 16 strains represent a distinct species of the genus Acinetobacter, for which the name Acinetobacter variabilis sp. nov. is proposed to reflect its marked phenotypic heterogeneity. The type strain is NIPH 2171(T) ( = CIP 110486(T) = CCUG 26390(T) = CCM 8555(T)).