Lichtheimia ramosa
| Lichtheimia ramosa | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Mucoromycota |
| Class: | Mucoromycetes |
| Order: | Mucorales |
| Family: | Lichtheimiaceae |
| Genus: | Lichtheimia |
| Species: | L. ramosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lichtheimia ramosa (Zopf) Vuill. (1903)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Lichtheimia ramosa is a saprotrophic zygomycete, typically found in soil or dead plant material.[1] It is a thermotolerant fungus that has also been known to act as an opportunistic pathogen–infecting both humans and animals.[2][3]
Taxonomy
[edit]It was previously known as Absidia ramosa,[4] but has been known by its current name since the Absidia and Lichtheimia genera were differentiated from each other.[5] There has also previously been some disagreement in the scientific community over whether L. ramosa and L. corymbifera were distinct species.[6][7] But L. ramosa was recently established as a distinct species based on genome sequence analysis.[4]
Description
[edit]Asexual reproduction of L. ramosa is done by use of sporangiospore-producing sporangia. The sporangiospores are smooth, lightly colored, and bear a long ellipsoid shape. The sporangia are pear shaped and often sport branched sporangiophores.[4] Sexual reproduction in L. ramosa is achieved through zygospores. These zygospores have been found to have equatorial rings with suspensors and bear no appendages.[1]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]It is saprotrophic, most commonly found within dead plant material or in the soil.[1] As this species is thermotolerant, with an optimal growth temperature of around 37 °C, [8] it has now been found in a wide range of habitats around the world–including North America, South America, Central Europe, Africa, and India.[1]
Epidemiology
[edit]It is an opportunistic pathogen that has been associated with mucormycosis in both humans and animals.[2] Mucormycosis due to L. ramosa typically only presents in severely immunocompromised patients[9] with a wide range of infections being described; including rhinal, cutaneous, rhinocerebral, pulmonary, renal, and disseminated infections. However, there have been some cases of infection among immunocompetent patients, due to soil contamination of a traumatic injury.[10] Amphotericin B. is the typical course of treatment for an infection by L. ramosa.[11] But if not identified and treated quickly enough, the infection can be fatal.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Hoffmann K, de Hoog GS, Rodriguez-Tudela JL, Voigt K, Bibashi E, Walther G (June 2010). "Species recognition and clinical relevance of the zygomycetous genus Lichtheimia (syn. Absidia pro parte, Mycocladus)". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 48 (6): 2154–2170. doi:10.1128/JCM.01744-09. PMC 2884488. PMID 20357218.
- ^ a b Schwartze VU, Santiago AL, Jacobsen ID, Voigt K (December 2014). "The pathogenic potential of the Lichtheimia genus revisited: Lichtheimia brasiliensis is a novel, non-pathogenic species". Mycoses. 57 (Suppl 3): 128–131. doi:10.1111/myc.12230. PMID 25267009. S2CID 2582054.
- ^ Schwartze VU, Hoffmann K, Nyilasi I, Papp T, Vágvölgyi C, de Hoog S, et al. (2012-07-20). Spellberg B (ed.). "Lichtheimia species exhibit differences in virulence potential". PLOS ONE. 7 (7): e40908. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040908. PMC 3401187. PMID 22911715.
- ^ a b c Garcia-Hermoso D, Hoinard D, Gantier JC, Grenouillet F, Dromer F, Dannaoui E (December 2009). "Molecular and phenotypic evaluation of Lichtheimia corymbifera (formerly Absidia corymbifera) complex isolates associated with human mucormycosis: rehabilitation of L. ramosa". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 47 (12): 3862–3870. doi:10.1128/JCM.02094-08. PMC 2786664. PMID 19759217.
- ^ Hoffmann K, Discher S, Voigt K (October 2007). "Revision of the genus Absidia (Mucorales, Zygomycetes) based on physiological, phylogenetic, and morphological characters; thermotolerant Absidia spp. form a coherent group, Mycocladiaceae fam. nov". Mycological Research. 111 (Pt 10): 1169–1183. doi:10.1016/j.mycres.2007.07.002. PMID 17997297.
- ^ Nottebrock H, Scholer HJ, Wall M (March 1974). "Taxonomy and identification of mucormycosis-causing fungi. I. Synonymity of Absidia ramosa with A. corymbifera". Sabouraudia. 12 (1): 64–74. doi:10.1080/00362177485380091. PMID 4838239.
- ^ Ellis JJ, Hesseltine CW (June 1966). "Species of Absidia with ovoid sporangiospores. II". Sabouraudia. 5 (1): 59–77. doi:10.1080/00362176785190111. PMID 5963263.
- ^ Alvarez-Zúñiga MT, Santiago-Hernández A, Rodríguez-Mendoza J, Campos JE, Pavón-Orozco P, Trejo-Estrada S, Hidalgo-Lara ME (November 2017). "Taxonomic identification of the thermotolerant and fast-growing fungus Lichtheimia ramosa H71D and biochemical characterization of the thermophilic xylanase LrXynA". AMB Express. 7 (1): 194. doi:10.1186/s13568-017-0494-y. PMC 5668220. PMID 29098440.
- ^ Rüping MJ, Heinz WJ, Kindo AJ, Rickerts V, Lass-Flörl C, Beisel C, et al. (February 2010). "Forty-one recent cases of invasive zygomycosis from a global clinical registry". The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 65 (2): 296–302. doi:10.1093/jac/dkp430. PMID 20008047.
- ^ Bibashi E, de Hoog GS, Pavlidis TE, Symeonidis N, Sakantamis A, Walther G (December 2012). "Wound infection caused by Lichtheimia ramosa due to a car accident". Medical Mycology Case Reports. 2: 7–10. doi:10.1016/j.mmcr.2012.12.001. PMC 3885937. PMID 24432204.
- ^ Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Cuesta I, Walther G, Cuenca-Estrella M, Rodriguez-Tudela JL (July 2010). "Antifungal susceptibility profile of human-pathogenic species of Lichtheimia". Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 54 (7): 3058–3060. doi:10.1128/AAC.01270-09. PMC 2897292. PMID 20421405.
- ^ Mouronte-Roibás C, Leiro-Fernández V, Botana-Rial M, Ramos-Hernández C, Lago-Preciado G, Fiaño-Valverde C, Fernández-Villar A (2016). "Lichtheimia ramosa: A Fatal Case of Mucormycosis". Canadian Respiratory Journal. 2016: 2178218. doi:10.1155/2016/2178218. PMC 4904553. PMID 27445521.