Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Research on the microbiota–gut–brain axis in autism has primarily focused on bacteria, with limited attention to fungi. There is a growing interest in understanding the involvement of fungi, particularly <i>Candida</i>, in patients with autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this study was...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-10-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/11/730 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850068536780652544 |
|---|---|
| author | Mariem Chamtouri Abderrahmen Merghni Katherine Miranda-Cadena Nabil Sakly Naoufel Gaddour Clara G. de Los Reyes-Gavilán Maha Mastouri Elena Eraso Guillermo Quindós |
| author_facet | Mariem Chamtouri Abderrahmen Merghni Katherine Miranda-Cadena Nabil Sakly Naoufel Gaddour Clara G. de Los Reyes-Gavilán Maha Mastouri Elena Eraso Guillermo Quindós |
| author_sort | Mariem Chamtouri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research on the microbiota–gut–brain axis in autism has primarily focused on bacteria, with limited attention to fungi. There is a growing interest in understanding the involvement of fungi, particularly <i>Candida</i>, in patients with autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, antifungal susceptibility profiles and virulence factors of <i>Candida</i> isolates from the guts of Tunisian children with autism. Twenty-eight children with autism and forty-six controls were enrolled. <i>Candida</i> isolates from the faecal samples were identified using biochemical and molecular methods; antifungal susceptibility testing was determined by the EUCAST broth microdilution method and virulence factors, including biofilm formation, cell surface hydrophobicity and phospholipase and proteinase activities, were assessed in vitro. As a result, <i>Candida</i> was detected in 13 children with autism (46.4%) and 14 control children (30.4%). <i>Candida albicans</i> was found to be the most common species isolate in the faeces of both groups of children. Antifungal susceptibility profiles showed that one <i>Candida</i> isolate was resistant to amphotericin B and anidulafungin (3.7%), six were resistant to micafungin (22.2%) and five were resistant to fluconazole (18.5%). All <i>Candida</i> isolates were biofilm producers. Of the twenty-seven isolates, only four showed phospholipase activity (14.8%), eight showed aspartyl-proteinase activity (29.6%) and nine were hydrophobic (33.3%). These results highlight the presence of <i>Candida</i> in the guts of children with autism, as well as the ability to express multiple virulence factors and the antifungal resistance, and they emphasize the need for further studies to confirm intestinal <i>Candida</i> colonization and its potential role in autism. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6f0c117a1cc846079bf72df74ef5ceac |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj-art-6f0c117a1cc846079bf72df74ef5ceac2025-08-20T02:48:02ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2024-10-01101173010.3390/jof10110730Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum DisorderMariem Chamtouri0Abderrahmen Merghni1Katherine Miranda-Cadena2Nabil Sakly3Naoufel Gaddour4Clara G. de Los Reyes-Gavilán5Maha Mastouri6Elena Eraso7Guillermo Quindós8Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), 33300 Villaviciosa, SpainLaboratory of Antimicrobial Resistance LR99ES09, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, TunisiaDepartment of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, 48080 Bilbao, SpainLaboratory of Medical and Molecular Parasitology-Mycology (code LR12ES08), Department of Clinical Biology B, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, TunisiaUnit of Child Psychiatry, Monastir University Hospital, Monastir 5000, TunisiaDepartment of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), 33300 Villaviciosa, SpainLaboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances LR99ES27, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, TunisiaDepartment of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, 48080 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, 48080 Bilbao, SpainResearch on the microbiota–gut–brain axis in autism has primarily focused on bacteria, with limited attention to fungi. There is a growing interest in understanding the involvement of fungi, particularly <i>Candida</i>, in patients with autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, antifungal susceptibility profiles and virulence factors of <i>Candida</i> isolates from the guts of Tunisian children with autism. Twenty-eight children with autism and forty-six controls were enrolled. <i>Candida</i> isolates from the faecal samples were identified using biochemical and molecular methods; antifungal susceptibility testing was determined by the EUCAST broth microdilution method and virulence factors, including biofilm formation, cell surface hydrophobicity and phospholipase and proteinase activities, were assessed in vitro. As a result, <i>Candida</i> was detected in 13 children with autism (46.4%) and 14 control children (30.4%). <i>Candida albicans</i> was found to be the most common species isolate in the faeces of both groups of children. Antifungal susceptibility profiles showed that one <i>Candida</i> isolate was resistant to amphotericin B and anidulafungin (3.7%), six were resistant to micafungin (22.2%) and five were resistant to fluconazole (18.5%). All <i>Candida</i> isolates were biofilm producers. Of the twenty-seven isolates, only four showed phospholipase activity (14.8%), eight showed aspartyl-proteinase activity (29.6%) and nine were hydrophobic (33.3%). These results highlight the presence of <i>Candida</i> in the guts of children with autism, as well as the ability to express multiple virulence factors and the antifungal resistance, and they emphasize the need for further studies to confirm intestinal <i>Candida</i> colonization and its potential role in autism.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/11/730autism<i>Candida</i>gut microbiotaantifungal susceptibilityvirulence |
| spellingShingle | Mariem Chamtouri Abderrahmen Merghni Katherine Miranda-Cadena Nabil Sakly Naoufel Gaddour Clara G. de Los Reyes-Gavilán Maha Mastouri Elena Eraso Guillermo Quindós Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Journal of Fungi autism <i>Candida</i> gut microbiota antifungal susceptibility virulence |
| title | Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_full | Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_short | Characterization of Yeast Isolated from the Gut Microbiota of Tunisian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| title_sort | characterization of yeast isolated from the gut microbiota of tunisian children with autism spectrum disorder |
| topic | autism <i>Candida</i> gut microbiota antifungal susceptibility virulence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/11/730 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariemchamtouri characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT abderrahmenmerghni characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT katherinemirandacadena characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT nabilsakly characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT naoufelgaddour characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT claragdelosreyesgavilan characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT mahamastouri characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT elenaeraso characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder AT guillermoquindos characterizationofyeastisolatedfromthegutmicrobiotaoftunisianchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder |