Affiliation:
1. Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
2. Laboratório de Pesquisa em Micologia Aplicada Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
3. Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Farmacologia e Terapêutica Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundDermatophytosis is one of the most common fungal infections worldwide. The distribution of dermatophytes varies across continents, but the genera Trichophyton and Microsporum have emerged as the main isolated agents in humans and animals.ObjectivesTo validate Drosophila melanogaster flies as a fast and feasible model to study dermatophytic infections.MethodsWild‐type (WT) and Toll‐deficient D. melanogaster flies were infected by Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis and Nannizzia gypsea by pricking with a needle previously dipped in inoculum concentrations ranging from 103 to 108 colony‐forming units/mL. Establishment of infection was confirmed by survival curves, histopathological analysis and fungal burden. Thereafter, flies were treated with terbinafine, itraconazole and clioquinol.ResultsWT flies were predominantly resistant to the infection, whereas Toll‐deficient flies succumbed to the four dermatophyte genera tested. The antifungal drugs protected flies from the infection, except for N. gypsea whose survival curves did not differ from the untreated group.ConclusionsThis pilot study confirms that D. melanogaster is a suitable model to study the virulence and antifungal drug efficacy in dermatophyte species.
Funder
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Dermatology,General Medicine