MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION, PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES AND ANTIFUNGAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILES, OF THREE FUNGAL SPECIES ISOLATED FROM COVID-19 RECOVERED INDIVIDUALS IN IRAQ
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Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly spread globally. Mycobiota is naturally present and may primarily contribute in COVID-19 coinfections rising a risk of disease severity in humans. After COVID-19, several studies showed a significant increase in antifungal resistance. The current study aimed to carefully isolate, effectively identify and phylogenetically analyzed some fungal species from recovered individuals with various COVID-19 infection and vaccination backgrounds for the first time in Iraq. The isolates of three interesting species recovered from study groups were involved in antifungal susceptibility testing. Method: Some fungal species were isolated from eighty recovered individuals with various COVID-19 infection and vaccination backgrounds. These species were identified morphologically and conformed molecularly. The evolution-nary relations between Iraqi isolates of three species and some global isolates were conducted using molecular phylogenetic analyses. Their antifungal susceptibility profiles were also detected using disk diffusion method. Results: The results showed that Aspergillus neoniger Cladosporium limoniforme, and Penicillium crustosum were commonly distributed between groups investigated. The first two species are new records in Iraq. The antifungal susceptibility results of the current species isolates have showed significantly differences in their sensitivity to seven antifungal agents with each other’s regardless the study groups. Although the antifungal susceptibilities were vary based on the species, antifungals, and groups investigated, fluconazole showed the highest diameters of inhibition of fungal growth. Novelty: The study is first study in Iraq reported some mycobiota species found in recovered COIVD-19 individuals. The first report’s antifungal susceptibility testing for the first records and most interesting species. This type of a study is necessary to primarily develop a comprehensive mycobiota profile and antifungal susceptibility pattern to assist in the early detection of disease and in preparing for future pandemics in Iraq.
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