Evaluation of pathogenic fungi occurrence in traumatogenic structures of freshwater fish

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Fabio Caetano Oliveira Leme, Marcos Mendes de Barros Negreiros, Fernando Akira Koga, Sandra de Moraes Gimenes Bosco, Eduardo Bagagli, Vidal Haddad Junior
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2011
• Subjects: Peixes fluviais; Fungos patogênicos; Phoma; Micoses humanas; Candida spp; Pescadores; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822011005000007; https://doaj.org/article/e6b70720142942afab12dec38c2ce27d

INTRODUCTION: Fungal infections in human skin, such as sporotrichosis, can occur after fish induced trauma. This work aimed to identify fungi in freshwater fish that are pathogenic to humans. METHODS: Extraction of dental arches from Serrassalmus maculatus (piranha) and Hoplias malabaricus (wolf fish), stings from Pimelodus maculatus (mandis catfish), dorsal fin rays from Plagioscion spp. (corvina) and Tilapia spp., for culture in Mycosel agar. Some cultures were submitted to DNA extraction for molecular identification by sequencing ITS-5.8S rDNA. RESULTS: Cultures identified most yeast as Candida spp., while sequencing also permitted the identification of Phoma spp. and Yarrowia lipolytica. CONCLUSIONS: While the search for S. schenckii was negative, the presence of fungus of the genera Phoma and Candida revealed the pathogenic potential of this infection route. The genus Phoma is involved in certain forms of phaeohyphomycosis, a subcutaneous mycosis caused by dematiaceous fungi, with reports of infections in human organs and systems. Traumatizing structures of some freshwater fish present pathogenic fungi and this may be an important infection route that must be considered in some regions of Brazil, since there are a large number of a fisherman in constant contact with traumatogenic fish.