Comparative Pathogenicity of Lomentospora prolificans (Scedosporium prolificans) Isolates from Mexican Patients Mariana Elizondo-Zertuche . Alexandra M. Montoya . Efre ´n Robledo-Leal . Idalia Garza-Veloz . Ana L. Sa ´nchez-Nu ´n ˜ez . Raquel Ballesteros-Elizondo . Gloria M. Gonza ´lez Received: 6 December 2016 / Accepted: 20 April 2017 Ó Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2017 Abstract We identified 11 Lomentospora prolificans isolates recovered from Mexican patients using phe- notypic and molecular characteristics. The identifica- tion of isolates was assessed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS rDNA) sequencing. In vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, caspofungin, anidulafungin and mica- fungin was determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) procedures. Three isolates (07-2239, 11-2242 and 04-2673) were used to induce systemic infection in immunocompe- tent ICR mice. Survival and tissue burden studies were used as markers of pathogenicity. All of the strains were resistant to every antifungal tested with MIC’s for AmB (8– [ 8 lg/ml), VRC (16– [ 16 lg/ml), PSC (16– [ 16 lg/ml), FLC (64– [ 64 lg/ml) and echinocandins with MICs C8 lg/ml. One hundred, ninety and sixty percent of the infected mice with the strains 07-2239, 11-2242 and 04-2673 died during the study, respec- tively. Regarding tissue burden, the highest fungal load of the infected mice was detected in brain followed by spleen and kidney, regardless of the strain. Keywords Pathogenicity Á In vitro susceptibility Á Survival study Á Tissue burden Á Lomentospora prolificans Introduction Lomentospora prolificans (formerly Scedosporium prolificans)[1] is an opportunistic filamentous mold; it has a worldwide distribution and is frequently present in soil, sewage and polluted waters. It is responsible for serious infections due to its high virulence, propensity for invasion, dissemination and multidrug resistance to antifungals [2, 3]. Infections caused by this organism can be localized, extended to the surrounding tissues or disseminated to distant organs depending of the infec- tion route and immunological status. When L. prolif- icans infects immunocompetent individuals, usually having a prior trauma in the form of puncture wounds, M. Elizondo-Zertuche Á A. M. Montoya Á A. L. Sa ´nchez-Nu ´n ˜ez Á G. M. Gonza ´lez (&) Departamento de Microbiologı ´a, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Auto ´noma de Nuevo Leo ´n, Madero y Dr. Eduardo A. Pequen ˜o s/n, Colonia Mitras Centro, 64460 Monterrey, Mexico e-mail: gmglez@yahoo.com.mx E. Robledo-Leal Departamento de Microbiologı ´a e Inmunologı ´a, Facultad de Ciencias Biolo ´gicas, Universidad Auto ´noma de Nuevo Leo ´n, San Nicola ´s de los Garza, Mexico I. Garza-Veloz Laboratorio de Medicina Molecular, Unidad Acade ´mica de Medicina Humana y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Auto ´noma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico R. Ballesteros-Elizondo Departamento de Histologı ´a, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Auto ´noma de Nuevo Leo ´n, Monterrey, Mexico 123 Mycopathologia DOI 10.1007/s11046-017-0137-5