Román-Juliá, Roberto O.

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    Fluconazol resistance in yeast populations from coastal habitats impacted by sewage and wastewater
    (2011) Román-Juliá, Roberto O.; Maldonado-Ramírez, Sandra L.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Montalvo Rodríguez, Rafael R.; Rodríguez Minguela, Carlos; Department of Biology; García Saís, Jorge R.
    Coastal areas, rivers and other waterbodies are constantly impacted by microbial pollutants originating from wastewater discharges. The objective of this research was directed to study fluconazol resistance in yeast populations from coastal habitats with different exposure levels to human influence. A total of 76 samples (16% from soil, 59% from water, 8% from mangrove rhizosphere, 8% from mangrove sediment and 9% from sand) were evaluated from rural and urban wastewater treatment plants, Guajataca and Susua Forests, Cupeyes River (Sabana Grande), Ensenada Dakity beach (Culebra), La Boca estuary (Barceloneta), La Parguera (Lajas), Peña Blanca beach (Aguadilla), Pico de Piedra estuary (Aguada) and Sewage pipeline discharge (Isabela). All isolates were screened to determine their resistance to fluconazol, using a broth microdilution method according to standard methods. A total of 86 yeasts were isolated and 48% of them showed resistance to fluconazol (MIC ?64 ug/ml). Phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of genotypes related to Acremonium strictum (4.9%), Aureobasidium pullulans (17.1%), Candida diddensiae (2.4%), C. thaimueangesis (2.4%), C. tropicalis (17.1%), Cryptococcus spp. (7.3%), C. flavescens (2.4%), Exophiala jeanselmei (2.4%), Hanseniaspora opuntiae (2.4%), H. thailandica (4.9%), Hortaea werneckii (4.9%), Pichia anomala (4.9%), Pseudozyma sp. (9.8%), Rhodotorula glutinis (2.4%), R. graminis (4.9%), Simpodiomycopsis paphiopedili (2.4%) and unknown strains (7.3%). Isolates of Aureobasidium pullulans were predominant from samples of the urban wastewater treatment plant, while C. tropicalis were predominant from samples of the rural wastewater treatment plant. These species have proven to be opportunistic pathogens causing fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. All the resistant strains showed a high Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of ?64 ug/ml to fluconazol in the in vitro resistance tests. This study provides the first survey and data about the distribution of fluconazole-resistant yeasts associated with coastal habitats in Puerto Rico. Results show the need to include a monitoring method for clinically important yeasts in the current protocols used in Puerto Rico and other countries of the world to evaluate water quality.