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First isolation of Ascotricha chartarum from bronchoalveolar lavage of two patients with pulmonary infections.

ABSTRACT: Ascotricha chartarum is a rare human pathogen. We describe the isolation and characterization of A. chartarum from bronchoalveolar lavage samples of two patients with underlying pulmonary infections. The identity of both isolates was established by typical phenotypic characteristics and by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region and D1/D2 domains of recombinant DNA and ?-tubulin gene fragment. The demonstration of branched, septate hyphae in direct microscopic examination of both the specimens and isolation of the fungus in pure cultures suggest its aetiologic role in the disease process. Because of phenotypic similarities of A. chartarum with Chaetomium spp. and other Chaetomium-like fungi, the application of molecular methods is needed for its accurate identification. Although in the absence of histopathologic evidence the aetiologic role of A. chartarum could not be established unequivocally, nonetheless, in view of the rarity of its isolation from clinical specimens and demonstration of hyphal elements in bronchoalveolar lavage sample, this report assumes considerable significance. It serves to create awareness about environmental fungi that previously have missed attention but may play a role in respiratory infections.

SUBMITTER: Khan Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6363919 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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First isolation of Ascotricha chartarum from bronchoalveolar lavage of two patients with pulmonary infections.

Khan Z Z Ahmad S S Jeragh A A Alfouzan W W Al Foudri H H Hassan N N Asadzadeh M M Joseph L L Varghese S S

New microbes and new infections 20181228

Ascotricha chartarum is a rare human pathogen. We describe the isolation and characterization of A. chartarum from bronchoalveolar lavage samples of two patients with underlying pulmonary infections. The identity of both isolates was established by typical phenotypic characteristics and by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region and D1/D2 domains of recombinant DNA and β-tubulin gene fragment. The demonstration of branched, septate hyphae in direct microscopic examinat ...[more]

PMID: 30766685

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Project description:The rapid and effective identification of pathogens in patients with pulmonary infections has posed a persistent challenge in medicine, with conventional microbiological tests (CMTs) proving time-consuming and less sensitive, hindering early diagnosis of respiratory infections. While there has been some research on the clinical performance of targeted sequencing technologies, limited focus has been directed toward bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). This study primarily evaluates the pathogen detection capabilities of nanopore-targeted sequencing (NTS) in BALF, providing a comprehensive analysis. The retrospective study, spanning from January 2022 to November 2023, includes 223 patients exclusively sourced from a single center. We conducted a detailed comparative analysis among NTS, targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS), and CMTs. Initially, we compared the detection capabilities of NTS and tNGS and found no significant differences in their sensitivity and specificity. Specifically, we observed that the sensitivity of NTS was significantly higher than that of CMTs (74.83% vs 33.11%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, NTS exhibited a higher positivity rate in common pulmonary infections (62.88% vs. 23.48%) and in clinically suspected tuberculosis patients compared to CMTs (87.18% vs. 48.72%). Additionally, NTS showed less susceptibility to antibiotic interference, indicating a more sensitive detection capability, especially in detecting fastidious organisms. It complements GeneXpert in tuberculosis diagnosis and offers excellent advantages in identifying pathogens challenging for CMTs, such as non-tuberculous mycobacteria and viruses. Moreover, NTS significantly shortens the reporting time and is only a quarter of the cost of metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Clearly, NTS can facilitate faster and more cost-effective early diagnosis of respiratory infections.IMPORTANCEThis study holds paramount significance in advancing the field of respiratory infection diagnostics. By assessing the pathogen detection capabilities in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with pulmonary infections, we illuminate the promising potential of nanopore-targeted sequencing (NTS). The findings underscore NTS as a comparable yet distinct alternative to traditional methods like comprehensive conventional microbiological tests (CMTs). Notably, NTS demonstrates a pivotal edge, expanding the spectrum of identified pathogens, particularly excelling in the detection of challenging entities like non-tuberculous mycobacteria and viruses. The study also highlights the complementary role of NTS alongside GeneXpert in the identification of tuberculosis, providing a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic landscape for respiratory infections. This insight carries significant implications for clinicians seeking rapid, cost-effective, and accurate diagnostic tools in the realm of pulmonary infections.

Dataset Information

First isolation of Ascotricha chartarum from bronchoalveolar lavage of two patients with pulmonary infections.

Publications

First isolation of <i>Ascotricha chartarum</i> from bronchoalveolar lavage of two patients with pulmonary infections.

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