High Genetic Diversity of Histoplasma in the Amazon Basin, 2006-2017

  • Tani Ly
  • , Marcus de Melo Teixeira
  • , Gaston I. Jofre
  • , Denis Blanchet
  • , Sigrid MacDonald
  • , Primavera Alvarado
  • , Silvia Helena Marques da Silva
  • , Victoria E. Sepúlveda
  • , Qandeel Zeb
  • , Stephen Vreden
  • , Antoine Adenis
  • , Francisco Yegres
  • , Magalie Demar
  • , Maria José Serna Buitrago
  • , Bridget M. Barker
  • , Mathieu Nacher
  • , Daniel R. Matute

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Histoplasmosis is one of the most common pulmonary mycosis diseases in the world. Genome sequencing has revealed that Histoplasma, the cause of histoplasmosis, is composed of several phylogenetic species. The genetic diversity of the pathogen remains largely unknown, especially in the tropics. We sequenced the genomes of 91 Histoplasma isolates from the Amazon basin of South America and used phylogenomics and population genetic evidence to measure the genetic variation of the genus in South America. We report a previously unidentified clade of Histoplasma endemic to the Amazon basin. The lineage is widespread across the continent and contains 5 lineages that are sufficiently differentiated to be considered phylogenetic species. We found the geographic range of those lineages is largely but not completely overlapping. Finally, we found that the patient median age and sex ratio differs among species, suggesting differences in the epidemiology of histoplasmosis caused by each Histoplasma lineage.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1169-1177
Number of pages9
JournalEmerging infectious diseases
Volume31
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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