Comparison of Multi-locus Genotypes Detected in Aspergillus fumigatus Isolated from COVID Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CAPA) and from Other Clinical and Environmental Sources

Abstract

Background: Aspergillus fumigatus is a saprophytic fungus, ubiquitous in the environment and responsible for causing infections, some of them severe invasive infections. The high morbidity and mortality, together with the increasing burden of triazole-resistant isolates and the emergence of new risk groups, namely COVID-19 patients, have raised a crescent awareness of the need to better comprehend the dynamics of this fungus. The understanding of the epidemiology of this fungus, especially of CAPA isolates, allows a better understanding of the interactions of the fungus in the environment and the human body. Methods: In the present study, the M3 markers of the STRAf assay were used as a robust typing technique to understand the connection between CAPA isolates and isolates from different sources (environmental and clinical-human and animal). Results: Of 100 viable isolates that were analyzed, 85 genotypes were found, 77 of which were unique. Some isolates from different sources presented the same genotype. Microsatellite genotypes obtained from A. fumigatus isolates from COVID+ patients were all unique, not being found in any other isolates of the present study or even in other isolates deposited in a worldwide database; these same isolates were heterogeneously distributed among the other isolates. Conclusions: Isolates from CAPA patients revealed high heterogeneity of multi-locus genotypes. A genotype more commonly associated with COVID-19 infections does not appear to exist.