Investigation of virulence factors in aspergillus fumigatus strains isolated from clinical and enviromental samples

As a versatile saprophytic fungus, Aspergillus species thrive ubiquitously, occupying soil, decaying organic matter, and even food, vital for carbon and nitrogen recycling. Paradoxically, they also underlie the menacing global health concern of aspergillosis. Notably, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus terreus, frequently linked to invasive aspergillosis, leverage their potent enzyme activities as significant contributors to disease development. Our study delved into enzymatic attributes (phospholipase, acid proteinase, and elastase) within A. fumigatus isolates from clinical and environmental sources. Our investigation involved 33 environmental isolates from Uludağ University and 37 clinical isolates from Ondokuz Mayıs University. Enzyme activities were assessed using specialized growth media: phospholipase on egg yolk agar plates, acid proteinase on bovine serum albumin agar plates, and elastase on rose bengal-elastin agar plates. Among clinical isolates, 75.7% (28 of 37) exhibited acid proteinase activity, with 24.3% (9 of 37) lacking it. Conversely, environmental isolates showed 81.9% (27 of 33) with active acid proteinase and 18.1% (6 of 33) devoid of it. Regarding phospholipase, clinical isolates displayed 94.6% (35 of 37) enzymatic activity, with only 5.4% (2 of 37) devoid of it. Environmental counterparts demonstrated 94% (31 of 33) enzymatic activity, while 6.06% (2 of 33) lacked it. Elastase activity was prominent in 75.7% (28 of 37) clinical isolates, in contrast to 24.3% (9 of 37) where it was absent. Among environmental isolates, 72.7% (24 of 33) exhibited elastase activity, while 18.2% (6 of 33) did not. Notably, a subset of environmental isolates (9.1% or 3 of 33) failed to grow on rose-bengal elastin agar. Our comprehensive analysis sheds light on the intricate enzymatic landscape of A. fumigatus isolates, unraveling potential implications for disease mechanisms and diagnostic advancements.