Diversidade genética de isolados ambientais de Aspergillus fumigatus: Marcadores ISSR e susceptibilidade a antifúngicos

Abstract

Aspergillus fumigatus is a common fungus that can cause severe infections known as aspergillosis, especially in immunocompromised individuals. The increasing use of azole fungicides in agriculture has led to the emergence of resistant environmental fungal strains. This study explored the possibility of using ISSR markers to identify Aspergillus fumigatus isolates that have mutations in the CYP51A gene, one of the main factors responsible for conferring resistance to azole antifungals. Samples collected from various locations in Latin America were analyzed, testing resistance to the antifungals itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole. Although many strains showed resistance, the presence of mutations in the CYP51A gene, associated with azole resistance, was found in only three of the analyzed strains. This suggests that other mechanisms, such as efflux pumps or alterations in other genes, may be contributing to antifungal resistance. ISSR markers were used to assess genetic diversity among the strains. However, the results did not show a clear correlation between ISSR patterns and resistance profiles. This suggests that ISSR markers may not be the most suitable tool for identifying azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains.