Prevalence and Antifungal Susceptibility of Sporothrix species in Guangzhou, Southern China

Introduction: Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous and chronic infection caused by traumatic inoculation of pathogenic sporothrix species, usually infecting the skins and subcutaneous tissues of humans and animals. However, the lack of epidemiological data required further molecular identification to describe the distribution of this fungus in our region. In this study, forty-eight clinical sporothrix isolated from Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital were classified, and the susceptibility of each strain to seven antifungal agents was determined.Methods: Forty strains of S. globosa and eight strains of S. shenkshii were identified via colony morphology and PCR sequencing of calmodulin gene.Results: Antifungal susceptibility tests of the mycelial phase in vitro showed terbinafine (TRB) and luliconazole (LULI) were the most effective, followed by itraconazole (ITZ) and amphotericin B (AMB). By contrast, voriconazole (VCZ), 5-flucytosine (5FC) and fluconazole (FCZ) have low efficacy with high MIC.Conclusion: Our results showed a predominantly S. globosa infection trend in southern China. Simultaneously, sporothrix is sensitive to TRB, LULI, ITZ and AMB whereas resistant to FCZ. This study firstly reports antifungal sensitivity test in vitro and epidemiological correlation analysis of sporothrix in southern China, and also the first time to find that sporothrix is sensitive to LULI.

Automated summary

This study classified 48 clinical isolates of sporothrix and tested their susceptibility to seven antifungal agents. The results showed that terbinafine and luliconazole were the most effective, followed by itraconazole and amphotericin B. Voriconazole, 5-flucytosine, and fluconazole had low efficacy. Overall, this study provides the first report on antifungal susceptibility and epidemiological correlation of sporothrix in southern China, and also the first evidence that sporothrix is sensitive to luliconazole.