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PubMed: 42310171 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-026-01082-5
Infection by Different Clades of Candidozyma auris in a Galleria mellonella Model: Determining Virulence Levels.
Mycopathologia 191(4)
Authors: Gabriel Davi Marena, Alejandro Lopez, Gabriela Corrêa Carvalho, Javier Pemán, Jose Manuel Perez-Royo, Victor Garcia-Bustos, Ángel González, Paula Muñoz Brell, María Dolores Pérez Ruiz, Lara Zaragoza Macian, Carmen Vicente Saez, Antonia Avalos Mansilla, Tais Maria Bauab, Marlus Chorilli, Alba Ruiz-Gaitán
Affiliations
- Health Research Institute La Fe, Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 Torre A 6a Planta, 46026, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, 14800-903, Brazil.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, 14800-903, Brazil.
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, 14800-903, Brazil. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, 14800-903, Brazil. Federal University of Mato Grosso Do Sul (UFMS), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition (FACFAN), Campo Grande, Brazil.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University and Polytechnic La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
- Basic and Applied Research Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
- Health Research Institute La Fe, Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 Torre A 6a Planta, 46026, Valencia, Spain.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University and Polytechnic La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Candidozyma auris (formerly Candida auris) is an emerging yeast that causes bloodstream infections, especially in immunocompromised patients, and presents high resistance and virulence rates. To date, six clades have been established worldwide and the number of outbreaks caused by this microorganism has been increasing every year, causing concern in the medical community. Therefore, this study investigated the heterogeneity among clades of C. auris by evaluating the virulence profile and mechanism of infection using an in vivo model of Galleria mellonella.
METHODS
G. mellonella was infected with different clades (I, II, III and IV) of C. auris, C. albicans ATCC 5341 and C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019 for virulence and histopathologic evaluation.
RESULTS
Aggregative strains of C. auris InP13 (I) and VEN C6 (IV) had a greater rate of melanization and larval mortality among the C. auris isolates, therefore, being the most aggressive strains. C. albicans caused the most melanization among all strains at the highest inoculum concentration (10 6 cells/mL). Histopathologic examination showed a greater number of granulomas in the lower and upper extremities of G. mellonella. The granulomas ranged from 0.07-0.11 nm in diameter. All strains showed biofilms adhering to larval tissue, which was more evident for InP13, VEN C6 and C. albicans. Infiltration of tissues by yeasts, pseudohyphae and chlamydospores (a resistance structure formed by C. albicans in stress environments) morphotypes were observed.
CONCLUSION
The aggregative strains were more virulent and had a greater ability to form biofilms and granulomas, showing heterogeneity among the different C. auris clades.
MeSH
Granuloma, Yeasts, Microbiology, Biofilms, Mycoses, Fungi, Tissues, Virulence, Candida, Infections