Outbreaks of histoplasmosis: The spores set sail

Deepe, George S.

doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1007213

Cited by 41 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(20 reference statements)

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“…However, new epidemiological reports indicate that regions other than the disease-endemic areas (midwestern and southeastern USA and Central and South America) are also affected, which indicates that H. capsulatum is wider spread than originally acknowledged (Deepe Jr 2018 ). Furthermore, in response to deforestation and urbanization, bats populations are adapting and setting up in the anthropized rural and urbanized environments, closer to human dwellings, leading to shift in the pattern of disease outbreaks to cover urban areas as well, with the number of infected individuals exceeding that found in rural areas (Jung and Threlfall 2018 ; Deepe Jr 2018 ). Though most of these infections are clinically silent and resolve without any consequence in immunocompetent individuals, H. capsulatum has been known to be behind such unusual cases as puzzling sickness of the pastor that cleaned copious amounts of bat guano from belfry of the church (Wynbrandt and Crouser 2007 ), outbreak of an unknown severe febrile illness of workers in the Dominican Republic tasked with cleaning accumulated bat guano from access tunnels to a hydroelectric dam inhabited by large bat colonies (Armstrong et al 2018 ) or an outbreak affecting American tourists in a hotel in Acapulco (Guerrero, Mexico) where hotel’s ornamental potted plants, fertilized with guano compost, were determined as the infectious source (Taylor et al 2005 ).…”

Section: Bat (Guano) Mycobiotamentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In the period from 1938 to 2013, a total of 105 outbreaks involving 2.850 cases were reported in 26 states and the territory of Puerto Rico (Benedict and Mody 2016 ). Two outbreaks of extreme proportions have occurred in Indianapolis in the twentieth century, first associated with construction of a tennis stadium in the downtown area and other construction of a new natatorium on the IUPUI campus, with approximately 200,000 infected individuals in total (Deepe Jr 2018 ). Since H. capsulatum is known to exist within environmental pockets, i.e., “hotspots” (Armstrong et al 2018 ), disruption of these soil reservoirs and release of large quantities of microconidia into the air can be possible cause of these outbreaks.…”

Section: Bat (Guano) Mycobiotamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pulmonary histoplasmosis is a common disease of residents of the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys, where the fungus prevails and is the cause of the most common endemic fungal infection in the USA (Paul and Kuhlenschmidt 2018). However, new epidemiological reports indicate that regions other than the disease-endemic areas (midwestern and southeastern USA and Central and South America) are also affected, which indicates that H. capsulatum is wider spread than originally acknowledged (Deepe Jr 2018). Furthermore, in response to deforestation and urbanization, bats populations are adapting and setting up in the anthropized rural and urbanized environments, closer to human dwellings, leading to shift in the pattern of disease outbreaks to cover urban areas as well, with the number of infected individuals exceeding that found in rural areas (Jung and Threlfall 2018;Deepe Jr 2018).…”

Section: Histoplasma Capsulatummentioning

confidence: 99%

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The microbiome of bat guano: for what is this knowledge important?

Dimkić

Fira

Janakiev

et al. 2021

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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Bats as flying mammals are potent vectors and natural reservoir hosts for many infectious viruses, bacteria, and fungi, also detected in their excreta such as guano. Accelerated deforestation, urbanization, and anthropization hastily lead to overpopulation of the bats in urban areas allowing easy interaction with other animals, expansion, and emergence of new zoonotic disease outbreaks potentially harmful to humans. Therefore, getting new insights in the microbiome of bat guano from different places represents an imperative for the future. Furthermore, the use of novel high-throughput sequencing technologies allows better insight in guano microbiome and potentially indicated that some species could be typical guano-dwelling members. Bats are well known as a natural reservoir of many zoonotic viruses such as Ebola, Nipah, Marburg, lyssaviruses, rabies, henipaviruses, and many coronaviruses which caused a high number of outbreaks including ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, many bacterial and fungal pathogens were identified as common guano residents. Thus, the presence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria as environmental reservoirs of extended spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemase-producing strains has been confirmed. Bat guano is the most suitable substrate for fungal reproduction and dissemination, including pathogenic yeasts and keratinophilic and dimorphic human pathogenic fungi known as notorious causative agents of severe endemic mycoses like histoplasmosis and fatal cryptococcosis, especially deadly in immunocompromised individuals. This review provides an overview of bat guano microbiota diversity and the significance of autochthonous and pathogenic taxa for humans and the environment, highlighting better understanding in preventing emerging diseases. Key points& Bat guano as reservoir and source for spreading of autochthonous and pathogenic microbiota & Bat guano vs. novel zoonotic disease outbreaks & Destruction of bat natural habitats urgently demands increased human awareness

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Section: Bat (Guano) Mycobiotamentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Bat (Guano) Mycobiotamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Histoplasma Capsulatummentioning

confidence: 99%

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The microbiome of bat guano: for what is this knowledge important?

Dimkić

Fira

Janakiev

et al. 2021

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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“…Mammals become infected after inhaling Histoplasma propagules from the environment ( Deepe 2018 ), which leads, in the vast majority of human cases, to a primary pulmonary infection that is unapparent, subclinical or completely benign ( Eissenberg & Goldman 1991 ). The remaining patients may develop chronic progressive lung disease, chronic cutaneous or systemic disease, or an acute fulminating, rapidly fatal, systemic infection ( Kauffman, 2007 , Oladele et al., 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The global epidemiology of emerging Histoplasma species in recent years

Rodrigues

Beale

Hagen

et al. 2020

Studies in Mycology

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Histoplasmosis is a serious infectious disease in humans caused by Histoplasma spp. (Onygenales), whose natural reservoirs are thought to be soil enriched with bird and bat guano. The true global burden of histoplasmosis is underestimated and frequently the pulmonary manifestations are misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. Molecular data on epidemiology of Histoplasma are still scarce, even though there is increasing recognition of histoplasmosis in recent years in areas distant from the traditional endemic regions in the Americas. We used multi-locus sequence data from protein coding loci (ADP-ribosylation factor, H antigen precursor, and delta-9 fatty acid desaturase), DNA barcoding (ITS1/2+5.8s), AFLP markers and mating type analysis to determine the genetic diversity, population structure and recognise the existence of different phylogenetic species among 436 isolates of Histoplasma obtained globally. Our study describes new phylogenetic species and the molecular characteristics of Histoplasma lineages causing outbreaks with a high number of severe outcomes in Northeast Brazil between 2011 and 2015. Genetic diversity levels provide evidence for recombination, common ancestry and clustering of Brazilian isolates at different geographic scales with the emergence of LAm C, a new genotype assigned to a separate population cluster in Northeast Brazil that exhibited low diversity indicative of isolation. The global survey revealed that the high genetic variability among Brazilian isolates along with the presence of divergent cryptic species and/or genotypes may support the hypothesis of Brazil being the center of dispersion of Histoplasma in South America, possibly with the contribution of migratory hosts such as birds and bats. Outside Brazil, the predominant species depends on the region. We confirm that histoplasmosis has significantly broadened its area of occurrence, an important feature of emerging pathogens. From a practical point of view, our data point to the emergence of histoplasmosis caused by a plethora of genotypes, and will enable epidemiological analysis focused on understanding the processes that lead to histoplasmosis. Further, the description of this diversity opens avenues for comparative genomic studies, which will allow progress toward a consensus taxonomy, improve understanding of the presence of hybrids in natural populations of medically relevant fungi, test reproductive barriers and to explore the significance of this variation.

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“…Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum (H. capsulatum), a thermally dimorphic ascomycete fungus. H. capsulatum and, correspondingly, histoplasmosis is increasingly found worldwide [1][2][3]. Of all the systemic mycoses, histoplasmosis is the most common in North America, with the majority of cases occurring within the endemic region of the Mississippi river valley system in the Eastern part of the United States (US) [4][5][6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunization Strategies for the Control of Histoplasmosis

2019

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Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Histoplasmosis is typically self-limited and presents asymptomatically in most people. Nevertheless, histoplasmosis can cause severe pulmonary disease and death. Histoplasmosis is increasingly found worldwide; however, it is best documented in the endemic region of the Mississippi river valley system in the Eastern part of the United States (US). Epidemiological studies from the US detailing the morbidity, mortality, and cost associated with histoplasmosis underscore the need to develop a vaccine. Purpose of review: This review will detail some of the major developments in potential vaccines against histoplasmosis, with particular emphasis on those that could be used to immunize immunocompromised hosts. Additionally, this review will highlight some non-traditional vaccinelike ideas for the prevention of diverse mycoses. Recent findings: Historically, immunization strategies against histoplasmosis have largely focused on identifying immunogenic proteins that confer protection in animal models. More recently, novel active, therapeutic, and immunomodulatory strategies have been explored as potential alternatives for those with various immune-deficiencies. Summary: The studies summarized in this review demonstrate that more research is needed to clarify the immunobiology, clinical role and efficacy of each candidate vaccine in the everexpanding potential armamentarium against histoplasmosis.

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Outbreaks of histoplasmosis: The spores set sail

Cited by 41 publications

References 21 publications

The microbiome of bat guano: for what is this knowledge important?

The microbiome of bat guano: for what is this knowledge important?

The global epidemiology of emerging Histoplasma species in recent years

Immunization Strategies for the Control of Histoplasmosis

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