Molecular epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility of Saprochaete capitata (Blastoschizomyces capitatus) isolates causing nosocomial infection in Kayseri/Turkey

Abstract

Background: Saprochaete capitata isolates have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens, among immunosuppressed or neutropenic patients, and a rare cause of nosocomial infection in the hematology–bone marrow unit (HBMU) and the intensive care unit (ICU). The purpose of this study was to molecular epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility of S. capitata (Blastoschizomyces capitatus) isolates causing nosocomial infection at Kayseri in Turkey.

Methods: During a period from 2012 to 2015, a total of 20 S. capitata strains were obtained from patients hospitalized at Erciyes University Hospital. The identification of S. capitata was performed by phenotypic and biochemical methods; this was confirmed by molecular methods by DNA sequencing analysis. Genotyping of S.capitata isolates from different patients was determined to by the repetitive sequence PCR (repPCR) using the DiversiLab System (BioMerieux).

Results: More than half of the patients with S. capitata infections were hospitalized in the hematology–oncology unit (60%). The patients mainly included those using intravascular devices (90%), and receiving parenteral antibiotics (85%); the mortality rate was 55%. The microbiological investigation failed to identify S. capitata in the hospital environment. All isolates were resistant to caspofungin (>32). However, the MIC₉₀ values for voriconazole, amphotericin B, and fluconazole against all of the isolates were 0.125, 0.25, and 1μg/ml, respectively. The S. capitata strains belonged to five clones (A–E) which were determined by the use of rep-PCR and Clone C was found to be predominant.

Conclusions: S. capitata isolates are an important cause of nosocomial infection in the HBMU and ICUs.

KEYWORDS:

• Antifungal susceptibility
• DNA sequencing analysis
• genotyping
• nosocomial fungal infection
• repetitive sequence PCR by a DiversiLab System
• Saprochaete capitata

Disclosure statement

This study was partly presented at the “First National Medical Mycology Congress Oral Presentation (S06). 24–28 Semptember 2014, Ankara, Turkey”.

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest related to this study.

Funding information

This work, with the number: TSA-11-3244; was supported by the Department of Scientific Research Projects (BAP) Commission, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.