Genetic clues explain how a rose-thorn fungus became a drug-tolerant epidemic
Bagal UR, Santos AR, Paes RA, de Brito Alves LG, Chamorro LR
Fungal Pathogens
Sporothrix is the fungus behind 'rose gardener's disease,' and it enters through skin pricks from thorns, sphagnum moss, and contaminated soil, so knowing which strains are spreading and resisting treatment affects anyone who handles roses, mulch, or hay.
Sporothrix is a fungus that lives in soil and on plant matter and can infect people through small cuts, which is why it's nicknamed rose gardener's disease. One species, S. brasiliensis, has spread rapidly through cats and people in South America. Scientists read the DNA of 95 samples and found that this species spread recently from a narrow genetic base, and they spotted many gene changes that may help it survive a common antifungal drug.
Key Findings
Whole-genome analysis of 95 Sporothrix isolates found 610,242 SNPs within S. brasiliensis versus 1,474,627 within S. schenckii, showing far lower diversity in the epidemic species.
S. brasiliensis split into six closely related clades consistent with recent expansion, while S. schenckii showed deep separation between North and South American lineages.
A GWAS of itraconazole resistance identified 81 SNPs, many in genes for transport, signaling, and redox balance, pointing to a polygenic basis; copy number changes affected 158 genes in S. brasiliensis and 88 in S. schenckii.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers compared the genomes of 95 Sporothrix fungi, the cause of a spreading cat-linked skin infection in South America. The recently expanded S. brasiliensis shows little genetic variety, while dozens of gene changes may help it tolerate the antifungal drug itraconazole.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Genome variation of Sporothrix schenckii and Sporothrix brasiliensis.
Sporotrichosis, a subcutaneous mycosis caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix genus, has become a major zoonotic epidemic in South America, primarily driven by Sporothrix brasiliensis. To eluc...
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