Azole-Resilient Biofilms and Non-wild Type C. albicans Among Candida Species Isolated from Agricultural Soils Cultivated with Azole Fungicides: an Environmental Issue?

• Published in: Microbial ecology 2021-11, Vol.82 (4), p.1080-1083
• Main Authors: Sidrim, José Júlio Costa, de Maria, Gerlane Luziana, Paiva, Manoel de Araújo Neto, Araújo, Géssica dos Santos, da Graça-Filho, Renan Vasconcelos, de Oliveira, Jonathas Sales, Sales, Jamille Alencar, Pereira-Neto, Waldemiro Aquino, Guedes, Glaucia Morgana de Melo, Castelo-Branco, Débora de Souza Collares Maia, Cordeiro, Rossana de Aguiar, Brilhante, Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira, Rocha, Marcos Fábio Gadelha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Amphotericin B; Biofilms; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Candida; Cultivation; Ecology; Fluconazole; Fungicides; Geoecology/Natural Processes; Itraconazole; Life Sciences; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology; Minimum inhibitory concentration; Nature Conservation; Pesticides; Planktonic cells; Soil; Soil investigations; Soils; Species; Species identification; Tebuconazole; Voriconazole; Water Quality/Water Pollution
• ISSN: 0095-3628; 1432-184X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01694-y

This study aimed to identify Candida spp. from agricultural soils cultivated with azole fungicides and investigate their susceptibility to clinical (fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B) and agricultural (tetraconazole and tebuconazole) antifungals in planktonic form. Additionally, Candida biofilm-forming ability and biofilm susceptibility to agricultural antifungals and voriconazole were analyzed. Species identification was performed by phenotypic and molecular assays. The susceptibility of planktonic cells was evaluated by the broth microdilution method. The biofilm metabolic activity was evaluated by the XTT reduction assay. The recovered Candida spp. were identified as C. parapsilosis sensu stricto ( n  = 14), C. albicans ( n  = 5), C. tropicalis ( n  = 2), C. fermentati ( n  = 1), and C. metapsilosis ( n  = 2). Minimum inhibitory concentration ranges for clinical and agricultural antifungals were ≤ 0.03–4 μg/mL and 1–128 μg/mL, respectively. Two and one C. albicans strains were considered non-wild type for voriconazole and fluconazole, respectively. All strains were biofilm producers. The minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration ranges for tetraconazole and tebuconazole were 128–> 1024 μg/mL, while for voriconazole was 512–> 1024 μg/mL. In summary, this study shows that non-wild type and azole-resilient biofilm-producing Candida species colonize agricultural soils cultivated with azole fungicides.