AUTHOR=Liu Yuan , Zou Ziying , Hu Zonghai , Wang Wenbo , Xiong Jie 

TITLE=Morphology and Molecular Analysis of Moesziomyces antarcticus Isolated From the Blood Samples of a Chinese Patient

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00254

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2019.00254

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> To identify the pathogen causing fungemia in a Chinese patient and describe its morphological and molecular characterizes.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Samples of central and peripheral venous blood were collected for blood culture. Morphology and drug sensitivities of the isolated yeast-like fungus were analyzed. rDNA sequencing and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the isolated strains were performed using DNAMAN and MEGA software.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> A strain of yeast-like fungi was repeatedly isolated from blood samples of a Chinese patient. The isolates grew well on sabouraud medium broth plate. The colonies were smooth and round at 28°C, and were of rough surface and irregular shape at 35°C. Molecular phylogenetic trees constructed based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and D1/D2 domains of 28S rDNA gene demonstrated the isolated yeast-like fungus was <italic>Moesziomyces antarcticus</italic>. Drug susceptibility test showed that this isolated <italic>M. antarcticus</italic> was resistant or had relatively low susceptibility to flucytosine, fluconazole, voriconazole, and itraconazole, and only sensitive to amphotericin.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> This study provided more information for the molecular and morphology characteristics of <italic>M. antarcticus</italic> and reviewed the species information of <italic>Moesziomyces</italic> associated with human infections, which will contribute to the identification and diagnosis of <italic>Moesziomyces</italic> infections.</p>