An atypical, pigment-producing Metschnikowia strain from a leukaemia patient

• Published in: Medical mycology (Oxford) Vol. 51; no. 4; p. 438
• Main Authors: Savini, Vincenzo, Hendrickx, Marijke, Sisti, Maurizio, Masciarelli, Gioviana, Favaro, Marco, Fontana, Carla, Pitzurra, Lucia, Arzeni, Daniela, Astolfi, Daniela, Catavitello, Chiara, Polilli, Ennio, Farina, Claudio, Fazii, Paolo, D'Antonio, Domenico, Stubbe, Dirk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.05.2013
• Subjects: Amphotericin B - pharmacology; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Base Sequence; DNA, Fungal - chemistry; DNA, Fungal - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Fluconazole - pharmacology; Humans; Italy; Leukemia - complications; Male; Metschnikowia - classification; Metschnikowia - drug effects; Metschnikowia - isolation & purification; Metschnikowia - physiology; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Sequence Data; Mycoses - complications; Mycoses - microbiology; Phylogeny; Pigments, Biological - metabolism; Pyrazines - metabolism; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sputum - microbiology; Voriconazole - pharmacology; Italy
• ISSN: 1460-2709
• DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2012.733429

A yeast strain was isolated from the sputum sample of a leukaemia patient in the Spirito Santo Hospital of Pescara, Italy. The fungus produced a pigment that formed a reddish halo around colonies, and was identified and deposited as a Metschnikowia spp. (accession number IHEM 25107-GenBank accession number JQ921016) in the BCCM/IHEM collection of biomedical fungi and yeasts (Bruxelles, Belgium). Although the physiology of the strain was close to that of Metschnikowia sinensis, the D1/D2 sequence did not correspond to any previously described Metschnikowia species. Phylogeny of the genus Metschnikowia is complex and requires far more analysis. We present the first non-M. pulcherrima Metschnikowia spp. isolate recovered from a human, and emphasize the role of man as a transient carrier of environmental yeasts, the pathogenicity of which still needs to be defined.