Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs), primarily caused by <i>Candida</i> species, represent a significant global public health concern due to their high mortality rates and growing antifungal resistance. In Honduras, data on their epidemiology remains scarce. This study aimed to characteriz...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/7/470 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849246503924662272 |
|---|---|
| author | José Fernando Chávez Bryan Ortiz Roque López Carlos Muñoz Kateryn Aguilar Isis Laínez-Arteaga Celeste Galindo Luis Rivera Manuel G. Ballesteros-Monrreal Kathy Montes Mauricio Hernández Asly Villeda Barahona Stephanie Hereira-Pacheco Gustavo Fontecha |
| author_facet | José Fernando Chávez Bryan Ortiz Roque López Carlos Muñoz Kateryn Aguilar Isis Laínez-Arteaga Celeste Galindo Luis Rivera Manuel G. Ballesteros-Monrreal Kathy Montes Mauricio Hernández Asly Villeda Barahona Stephanie Hereira-Pacheco Gustavo Fontecha |
| author_sort | José Fernando Chávez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Invasive fungal infections (IFIs), primarily caused by <i>Candida</i> species, represent a significant global public health concern due to their high mortality rates and growing antifungal resistance. In Honduras, data on their epidemiology remains scarce. This study aimed to characterize <i>Candida</i> species associated with candidemia and assess key virulence factors. A total of 80 clinical isolates were collected from four hospitals in Honduras’s major cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. Identification was performed using both phenotypic and molecular methods. Hemolytic activity, phospholipase and protease production, and biofilm formation were evaluated. <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. tropicalis</i> were the most prevalent species (30% each), followed by <i>C. parapsilosis</i> (27.5%). Phenotypic methods misidentified 13.8% of the isolates. Most strains (96.3%) exhibited strong hemolytic activity. <i>C. albicans</i> showed the highest phospholipase activity, while <i>C. tropicalis</i> was the most robust film producer. These findings highlight an evolving epidemiological landscape characterized by an increasing prevalence of non-<i>albicans Candida</i> species, often less susceptible to antifungal agents, and diverse virulence profiles such as strong biofilm formation. This underscores the clinical need for accurate species-level identification through molecular diagnostics and ongoing surveillance to guide targeted antifungal therapy and enable early, locally adapted interventions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9416816356da4ea39c3ad77c95c3a78d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj-art-9416816356da4ea39c3ad77c95c3a78d2025-08-20T03:58:29ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-06-0111747010.3390/jof11070470Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in HondurasJosé Fernando Chávez0Bryan Ortiz1Roque López2Carlos Muñoz3Kateryn Aguilar4Isis Laínez-Arteaga5Celeste Galindo6Luis Rivera7Manuel G. Ballesteros-Monrreal8Kathy Montes9Mauricio Hernández10Asly Villeda Barahona11Stephanie Hereira-Pacheco12Gustavo Fontecha13Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasInstituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasLaboratorio Nacional de Vigilancia, Secretaría de Salud de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasLaboratorio Nacional de Vigilancia, Secretaría de Salud de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasInstituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasLaboratorio de Bacteriología, Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas, San Pedro Sula 21101, HondurasDepartamento de Microbiología, Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasInstituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasDepartamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Sonora, Campus Caborca, Hermosillo 83000, MexicoDepartamento de Microbiología, Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social, San Pedro Sula 21101, HondurasInstituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasInstituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasLaboratorio de Interacciones Bióticas, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, San Felipe Ixtacuixtla, Tlaxcala 90120, MexicoInstituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, HondurasInvasive fungal infections (IFIs), primarily caused by <i>Candida</i> species, represent a significant global public health concern due to their high mortality rates and growing antifungal resistance. In Honduras, data on their epidemiology remains scarce. This study aimed to characterize <i>Candida</i> species associated with candidemia and assess key virulence factors. A total of 80 clinical isolates were collected from four hospitals in Honduras’s major cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. Identification was performed using both phenotypic and molecular methods. Hemolytic activity, phospholipase and protease production, and biofilm formation were evaluated. <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. tropicalis</i> were the most prevalent species (30% each), followed by <i>C. parapsilosis</i> (27.5%). Phenotypic methods misidentified 13.8% of the isolates. Most strains (96.3%) exhibited strong hemolytic activity. <i>C. albicans</i> showed the highest phospholipase activity, while <i>C. tropicalis</i> was the most robust film producer. These findings highlight an evolving epidemiological landscape characterized by an increasing prevalence of non-<i>albicans Candida</i> species, often less susceptible to antifungal agents, and diverse virulence profiles such as strong biofilm formation. This underscores the clinical need for accurate species-level identification through molecular diagnostics and ongoing surveillance to guide targeted antifungal therapy and enable early, locally adapted interventions.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/7/470candidemiaHonduras<i>Candida</i> spp.virulence |
| spellingShingle | José Fernando Chávez Bryan Ortiz Roque López Carlos Muñoz Kateryn Aguilar Isis Laínez-Arteaga Celeste Galindo Luis Rivera Manuel G. Ballesteros-Monrreal Kathy Montes Mauricio Hernández Asly Villeda Barahona Stephanie Hereira-Pacheco Gustavo Fontecha Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras Journal of Fungi candidemia Honduras <i>Candida</i> spp. virulence |
| title | Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras |
| title_full | Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras |
| title_fullStr | Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras |
| title_short | Virulence Factors and Molecular Identification of <i>Candida</i> Species Causing Candidemia in Honduras |
| title_sort | virulence factors and molecular identification of i candida i species causing candidemia in honduras |
| topic | candidemia Honduras <i>Candida</i> spp. virulence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/7/470 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josefernandochavez virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT bryanortiz virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT roquelopez virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT carlosmunoz virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT katerynaguilar virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT isislainezarteaga virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT celestegalindo virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT luisrivera virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT manuelgballesterosmonrreal virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT kathymontes virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT mauriciohernandez virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT aslyvilledabarahona virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT stephaniehereirapacheco virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras AT gustavofontecha virulencefactorsandmolecularidentificationoficandidaispeciescausingcandidemiainhonduras |