Aspergillus felis
Species of fungus / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aspergillus felis is a heterothallic species of fungus in the genus Aspergillus which can cause aspergillosis in humans, dogs and cats. It was described for the first time in 2013 after being isolated from different hosts worldwide (North and South America, Europe, Africa, Northeast Asia, and Asia-Pacific).[1][2][3][4]
Aspergillus felis | |
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Colonies growing 7 days at 25°C on CYA (A) and MEA (B); Crossing of CBS 130245 and 130246 at 30°C (C); Conidiophores and conidia (D, E and G); Cleistothecium (F); Ascospores (H-I). | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Ascomycota |
Class: | Eurotiomycetes |
Order: | Eurotiales |
Family: | Aspergillaceae |
Genus: | Aspergillus |
Species: | A. felis |
Binomial name | |
Aspergillus felis Barrs, van Doorn, Varga & Samson, 2013[1] | |
Type strain | |
131F4, DTO 155G2, IFM 600, JV-2013, CBS 130245, CBS H-21125[1] |
The first host infected was a domestic cat with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis who gave its name to this new Aspergillus as Felis is a genus of cats in the family Felidae. Apsergillus felis was then described in a dog with disseminated invasive aspergillosis and a human patient with chronic invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.[3] The most common host described with A. felis infection is the cat. This may be explained by anatomical differences in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses resulting in preferential deposition of inhaled fungal spores within the sinonasal cavity in cats compared to the lower respiratory tract in humans. A.felis is an important emerging agent of invasive aspergillosis in cats, dogs and humans because it is often refractory to aggressive antifungal treatment and its identification implies molecular and morphological techniques.[3]
According to mating-type analysis, Aspergillus felis has a fully functioning reproductive cycle as induction of teleomorphs appears within 7 to 10 days in vitro and there is also ascospore germination.[3]