Scopulariopsis, a Poorly Known Opportunistic Fungus: Spectrum of Species in Clinical Samples and In Vitro Responses to Antifungal Drugs

Ninety-nine isolates of clinical origin, tentatively identified as Scopulariopsis or Microascus, were morphologically and molecularly characterized by a combined analysis of the D1/D2 domains of the 28S rRNA gene and a fragment of the elongation factor 1-alpha gene (EF1-alpha) sequences. The most prevalent species was Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (49.4%), followed by Scopulariopsis gracilis (14.4%), Scopulariopsis brumptii (7.2%), Microascus cinereus (5.2%), the Scopulariopsis candida species complex (3.1%), and Microascus cirrosus (2.1%). The most common anatomic sites of isolation were the respiratory tract (61.6%), superficial tissue (19.2%), and deep tissue or fluid samples (19.2%). The antifungal susceptibilities of the isolates to eight drugs were tested in vitro, with all the drugs generally showing poor activity.