Microsatellite Typing of Avian Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus

Lieven van Waeyenberghe (1) , Frank Pasmans (2) , Lies Angèle Beernaert (2, 3) , Freddy Haesebrouck (4) , Francis Vercammen (5) , Frank Verstappen (6) , Gerry M. Dorrestein (7) , Corné H.W. Klaassen (8) , An Martel (2)

1 Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases
2 Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian diseases
3 Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases
4 Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases
5 Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
6 Veterinary Clinic Hoofdstraat
7 The Diagnostic Pathology Laboratory
8 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Aspergillosis is one of the most common causes of death in captive birds. Aspergillosis in birds is mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, a ubiquitous and opportunistic saprophyte. Currently it is not known if there is a link between the environmental isolates and/or human isolates of A. fumigatus and those responsible for aspergillosis in birds. Microsatellite typing was used to analyze 65 clinical avian isolates and 23 environmental isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. The 79 genotypes obtained were compared to a database containing genotypes of approximately 2500 strains isolated from human clinical samples and from the environment. There appeared to be no specific association between the observed genotypes and the origin of the isolates (environment, human or bird). Eight genotypes obtained from isolates of diseased birds were also found in human clinical samples. These results indicate that avian isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus may cause infection in humans.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Domaines: Biologie animale

Lieven van Waeyenberghe, Frank Pasmans, Lies Angèle Beernaert, Freddy Haesebrouck, Francis Vercammen, et al.. Microsatellite Typing of Avian Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. Avian Pathology, 2011, 40 (01), pp.73-77. ⟨10.1080/03079457.2010.540229⟩. ⟨hal-00670235⟩