MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Aspergillus latus: A cryptic causative agent of aspergillosis emerging in Japan

Summary

Researchers in Japan discovered that a dangerous fungus called Aspergillus latus, previously unknown in the country, has been causing infections since at least 2013. This fungus is difficult to identify because it looks similar to other related species and is actually a hybrid created from two different Aspergillus species. The study found seven cases of this fungus in clinical samples and discovered that it is resistant to some common antifungal medications, making accurate identification crucial for proper patient treatment.

Background

Aspergillus latus is an allodiploid hybrid species belonging to section Nidulantes that has been frequently misidentified as other Aspergillus species. While 30 strains have been reported worldwide, A. latus has not previously been reported in Japan or Asia. This study addresses the need to identify and characterize this emerging pathogen in clinical samples.

Objective

To screen clinical strains identified as A. spinulosporus collected in Japan from 2012-2023, identify A. latus among them, and comprehensively characterize the isolates through morphological, genetic, and antifungal susceptibility analysis.

Results

Seven A. latus strains were identified from clinical isolates collected between 2013-2022. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed hybrid origin with one CaM allele clustering with A. spinulosporus and the other with A. sublatus. A. latus showed reduced susceptibility to caspofungin and amphotericin B but remained susceptible to azoles, with morphological features more similar to A. spinulosporus than A. sublatus.

Conclusion

This is the first report of A. latus in Japan, suggesting the species has been a causative agent of aspergillosis since 2013. Accurate molecular identification is critical for clinical management due to antifungal resistance profiles differing from closely related species, and continued surveillance is warranted.
  • Published in:Medical Mycology,
  • Study Type:Clinical Microbiology Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40493449, DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaf052
Scroll to Top