1. COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis Isolates Are Genomically Diverse but Similar to Each Other in Their Responses to Infection-Relevant Stresses
- Author
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Mead, Matthew E., de Castro, Patricia Alves L., Steenwyk, Jacob L., Gangneux, Jean-Pierre, Hoenigl, Martin, Prattes, Juergen, Rautemaa‐richardson, Riina, Guegan, H, Moore, C, Lass-Floerl, Cornelia, Reizine, Florian, Valero, Clara, van Rhijn, Norman J., Bromley, Michael J, Rokas, Antonis H., Goldman, Gustavo H., Gago, Sara, Vanderbilt University [Nashville], Universidade de São Paulo = University of São Paulo (USP), Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset), Université d'Angers (UA)-Université de Rennes (UR)-École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique [EHESP] (EHESP)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Structure Fédérative de Recherche en Biologie et Santé de Rennes ( Biosit : Biologie - Santé - Innovation Technologique ), École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique [EHESP] (EHESP), Hôpital Sud [CHU Rennes], CHU Pontchaillou [Rennes], Medical University Graz, University of Manchester [Manchester], Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck - University of Innsbruck, Howard Hughes Medical Institute through the James H. Gilliam Fellowships for Advanced Study program, National Science Foundation [DEB-2110404], National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [R56 AI146096, R01 AI153356], Burroughs Wellcome Fund, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Fungal Infection Trust, Manchester Academy of Health Sciences, Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust, Wellcome Trust [219551/Z/19/], Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) from Brazil [2021/04977-5, BEPE 2020/01131-5], Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) from Brazil [301058/2019-9, 404735/2018-5, 163550/2020-4], and National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grant [R01AI153356]
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strain heterogeneity ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Aspergillus fumigatus ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,fungal pathogen ,coinfection - Abstract
International audience; Secondary infections caused by the pulmonary fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a significant cause of mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Even though epithelial cell damage and aberrant cytokine responses have been linked to susceptibility to COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), little is known about the mechanisms underpinning copathogenicity. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 11 A. fumigatus isolates from patients with CAPA in three centers from different European countries. CAPA isolates did not cluster based on geographic origin in a genome-scale phylogeny of representative A. fumigatus isolates. Phenotypically, CAPA isolates were more similar to the A. fumigatus A1160 reference strain than to the Af293 strain when grown in infection-relevant stresses, except for interactions with human immune cells wherein macrophage responses were similar to those induced by the Af293 reference strain. Collectively, our data indicate that CAPA isolates are genomically diverse but are more similar to each other in their responses to infection-relevant stresses. A larger number of isolates from CAPA patients should be studied to better understand the molecular epidemiology of CAPA and to identify genetic drivers of copathogenicity and antifungal resistance in patients with COVID-19. IMPORTANCE Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) has been globally reported as a life-threatening complication in some patients with severe COVID-19. Most of these infections are caused by the environmental mold Aspergillus fumigatus, which ranks third in the fungal pathogen priority list of the WHO. However, little is known about the molecular epidemiology of Aspergillus fumigatus CAPA strains. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 11 A. fumigatus isolates from patients with CAPA in three centers from different European countries, and carried out phenotypic analyses with a view to understanding the pathophysiology of the disease. Our data indicate that A. fumigatus CAPA isolates are genomically diverse but are more similar to each other in their responses to infection-relevant stresses.
- Published
- 2023