First case of Aspergillus caelatus airway colonization in a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patient.

BACKGROUND

During a cross-sectional study on allergic aspergillosis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients in Bogotá, Colombia, we reported the case of a 65-year-female patient with GOLD 2011 D classification, presenting dyspnea at the time of visit and aspergillus in repeated sputum cultures.

METHODS

The isolate was identified at the section level based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and gene sequencing was used for precise molecular identification. Antifungal sensibility was determined by Sensititre YeastOne™ while virulence was assessed using a Galleria mellonella larvae model.

RESULTS

The clinical isolate was first identified as Aspergillus section Flavi and sequencing of β-tubulin and calmodulin genes, in addition to the identification of alfR (aflatoxin regulator) gene, allowed the undoubted identification of the clinical isolate as Aspergillus caelatus. It exhibited virulence in G. mellonella similar to A. flavus and a high in vitro susceptibility against all antifungals except for amphotericin B.

CONCLUSION

This is the first human case of airway colonization attributed to A. caelatus. Resistance pattern justified the interest to discriminate this cryptic species.