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Aspergillus hubkae, a Novel Species Isolated from a Patient with Probable Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

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Abstract

A 50-year-old man, previously diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cavities, presented with symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, and cough. A pulmonary CT scan revealed multiple cavities, consolidation and tree-in-bud in the upper lungs. Further investigation through direct examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed septate hyphae with dichotomous acute branching. Subsequent isolation and morphological analysis identified the fungus as belonging to Aspergillus section Nigri. The patient was diagnosed with probable invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and successfully treated with a three-month oral voriconazole therapy. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial β-tubulin, calmodulin and RNA polymerase second largest subunit sequences revealed that the isolate represents a putative new species related to Aspergillus brasiliensis, and is named Aspergillus hubkae here. Antifungal susceptibility testing demonstrated that the isolate is resistant to itraconazole but susceptible to voriconazole. This phenotypic and genetic characterization of A. hubkae, along with the associated case report, will serve as a valuable resource for future diagnoses of infections caused by this species. It will also contribute to more precise and effective patient management strategies in similar clinical scenarios.

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Acknowledgements

None to declare.

Funding

This work was supported by the China Scholarship Council (202208110069).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Ya Bin Zhou and Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Key Discipline of Pediatrics, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China

    Ya Bin Zhou

  2. Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Ya Bin Zhou, Martin Meijer, Bart Kraak, Bert Gerrits van den Ende, Ferry Hagen & Jos Houbraken

  3. Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei, Neda Kiasat, Ameneh Takesh & Akbar Hoseinnejad

  4. Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Ferry Hagen

  5. Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Ferry Hagen

  6. Department of Infectious Diseases, Razi Teaching Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Sara Afzalzadeh

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Contributions

YBZ completed molecular experiments, phylogenetic analyses, and drafted the manuscript. JH designed all the experiments and revised the manuscript. BGE and FH conducted the antifungal susceptibility testing and edited the manuscript. MM and BK helped with the DNA isolation and sequencing. ARM contributed to collection of the strain, case description and reviewing the manuscript. SA contributed to treatment and follow-up of the patient. NK contributed to follow-up of the patient and case description. AT and AHN contributed to case data curation. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript for publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jos Houbraken.

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Zhou, Y.B., Rezaei-Matehkolaei, A., Meijer, M. et al. Aspergillus hubkae, a Novel Species Isolated from a Patient with Probable Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis. Mycopathologia 189, 44 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-024-00848-z

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