Molecular identification (ITS gene) of Aspergillus spp in patients with lung infection

Aspergillosis is an opportunistic infection that usually affects the respiratory system. It results from inhalation of spores of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus in the environment. The spores germinate and develop into filaments that enter blood vessels and cause necrosis and hemorrhagic infarction. Symptoms are asthma or pneumonia. The study was designed to isolate and diagnose Aspergillus species from the respiratory tract by molecular method, and 181 sputum samples were obtained from the special laboratories of the respiratory and chest diseases clinics. The samples were examined using a microscope containing a 10% KOH solution and 92 positive and 89 negative samples were found. The infection rate was 38 (41.3%), which was the highest number detected. It is followed by Aspergillus flavus 23 (25%). There was a significant (p≤0.001) higher distribution of mold and yeast for the 54 male patients (58.7) compared to the 38 females (41.3). The highest infection rate was recorded in A. fumigatus males with 25 (65.8) and 13 (34.2) females. A. flavus had 14 (60.9) males and 9 (39.1) females. Niger had 9 (56.3) males and 7 (43.7) females; Aspergillus spp. She had 9 (60) males and 6 (40) females. Molecular results for DNA identification of Aspergillus fungi using specialized primers with a molecular weight of (550) to amplify the ITS1 and this genotype region (5.8S) was used. ITS1 was identified in the taxon of fungi under study. It was concluded from the present study that Aspergillus infection causes several fungal respiratory infections, and we also concluded that the ITS1 target site can be used to confirm Aspergillus infection using PCR. One of these fungi has been approved as a diagnostic tool.