• Fatma Mutlu Sarigüzel, Ayse Nedret Koç, Pınar Sağiroğlu, Mustafa Altay Atalay, Arda Borlu, Özlem Canöz, and Bedia Dinç.
• Erciyes Üniversitesi, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology - Kayseri, Turkey.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2023 Jan 1; 69 (1): 445044-50.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the demographic data, molecular epidemiology, and in vitro antifungal susceptibility results of patients with Aspergillus isolated from various clinical specimens.MethodsA total of 44 Aspergillus strains were studied. The definition of invasive aspergillosis in patients was made according to European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) criteria. Strains were phenotypically and molecularly identified. Demographic characteristics of patients and genotypes of strains were evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis was done by the The Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA). Antifungal susceptibility of strains was determined according to The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI)-M61-Ed2 and The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST).ResultsA total of 11 patients were classified as proven and 33 as probable invasive aspergillosis. There was a statistically significant difference in age groups, subdisease, neutropenic, and receiving chemotherapy between groups. A total of 23 strains were identified as Aspergillus fumigatus, 12 as Aspergillus niger, 6 as Aspergillus flavus, and 3 as Aspergillus terreus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed five different genotypes. No statistical difference was found in the comparisons between patients groups and genotype groups. There was a statistically significant difference between genotype groups and voriconazole, posaconazole, and itraconazole Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC).ConclusionAccurate identification of strains and antifungal susceptibility studies should be performed due to azole and amphotericin B resistance. Genotyping studies are important in infection control due to identifying sources of infection and transmission routes.

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