Genotyping of Cryptococcus neoformans complex isolated from HIV patients in Peru

VILLANUEVA F; ROJAS F; CAYAMPI QUISPE B; SÁNCHEZ PEREZ JA; GIUSIANO G; GUEVARA GRANADOS JM

Foz do Iguazu

Congreso; 21st INFOCUS - Latin American Forum on Fungal Infections in Clinical Practice; 2023

Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia

Objective: To know the distribution of genotypes belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformanscomplex obtained from HIV patients in Lima, Peru.Methods: Seventy-seven strains isolated from cerebrospinal fluid samples of HIV-infectedpatients and identified as C. neoformans complex species were studied. The strains were derivedfrom the Daniel Alcides Carrión National Hospital in Callao and the Dos de Mayo National Hospitalto the Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima (Peru)between June 2006 and July 2019. Phenotypic identification was performed using directexamination in India ink, urease test in Christensen urea agar, and the growth in CanavanineGlycine-Bromothymol Blue. Genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP of the URA5 gene atthe Instituto de Medicina Regional, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Chaco (Argentina).Results: All 77 clinical isolates previously characterized as C. neoformans complex species wereidentified as C. neoformans (C. neoformans var. grubii) species. According to the PCR-RFLP ofthe URA5 gene, three genotypes were identified: VNI, VNII and the hybrid VNIII. Predominanceof VNI (57/77; 74.0%, followed by VNII (15/77; 19.5%) and VNIII (5/77; 6.5%) was obtained.Conclusions: The etiology of the studied cases of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV patients wascharacteristic according to the known epidemiology, since it included only C. neoformans species.The distribution of genotypes coincides with previous regional reports, meanwhile the frequencyof VNII genotype, as the highest in the region, raises the need to study its epidemiological andclinical characteristics. Considering that Cryptococcus spp genotypes has geographic-temporalvariation and clinical implications, our report provides information that contributes to the infectionpanorama at the local level.