A Novel One Health Approach concerning Yeast Present in the Oral Microbiome of the Endangered Rio Skate (Rioraja agassizii) from Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The current climate change scenario caused by anthropogenic activities has resulted in novel environmental pressures, increasing the occurrence and severity of fungal infections in the marine environment. Research on fungi in several taxonomic groups is widespread although not the case for elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). In this context, the aim of the present study was to screen the oral fungal microbiota present in artisanally captured Rioraja agassizii, a batoid that, although endangered, is highly fished and consumed worldwide. Oropharyngeal samples were obtained by swabbing and the samples were investigated using morphological and phenotypic methods by streaking on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and subculturing onto CHROMagar Candida (BD Difco) and CHROMagar Candida Plus (CHROMagarTM), as well as molecular techniques by amplification of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 ribosomal DNA region and a MALDI-TOF MS assessment. The findings indicated the presence of Candida parapsilosis (seven isolates), Candida duobushaemulonii (one isolate) and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (three isolates), several of these reported for the first time in Rioraja agassizii. In addition, a 100% agreement between the MALDI-TOF results and partial ITS region sequencing was noted, demonstrating that the MALDI-TOF MS is a rapid and effective alternative for yeast identification in Rioraja agassizii isolates and potentially in other elasmobranch species. These findings highlight the need for further research to determine the potential impact on elasmobranch health, ecology, and commercial fisheries. Furthermore, this research is paramount in a One Health framework and may be employed to predict elasmobranch responses to an evolving ocean, keep healthy populations in check, monitor species, and assess the public health consequences of consuming these species.

A novel report on the emerging and zoonotic neurotropic fungus Trichosporon japonicum in the brain tissue of the endangered Brazilian guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii) off the southeastern coast of Brazil

“…Following microscopy identification, the samples were then analyzed by MALDI-ToF, which attributed high scores of 1.85 and 1.80 to the two isolate growths observed in the Sabouraud Dextrose Agar and in BDTM CHROMagarTM Candida Medium (BD Difco), identifying them at the species level as T. japonicum . MALDI-ToF analyses have been applied with high reliability to identify fungal species from several sources, including in a recent study by our group concerning another elasmobranch species also captured in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, demonstrating high agreement with conventional identification methods and DNA sequencing [ 33 ]. Several studies have, in fact, noted that DNA sequencing is not required when a reliable spectral database is available [ 36 , 37 ] and that the MALDI-ToF technique is, in fact, superior concerning yeast and mycobacteria isolate identification compared to gene sequencing.…”

“…In addition to morphologic and phenotypic tests, the obtained isolates were also identified by MALDI-TOF MS following Pinto et al [ 32 ] and Oliveira et al [ 33 ], employing α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA, Fluka, Buchs, Switzerland) used as the matrix. Each sample was analyzed in triplicate from the same culture and from sub-cultures on alternate days.…”

Detection of Hanseniaspora opuntiae in anovaginal samples of pregnant women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—a case report

“…The tubes were then heated in a microwave for 90 s at maximum power and immediately cooled to 0°C. The PCR mix was prepared to a final volume of 50 μL, containing 1 μg of DNA and 25 ng/μL of the ITS1 (5′-TCCGTAGGTGAACCTGCGG-3′) and ITS4 (5′-TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3′) primer pair ( Van Gerrits den Ende and de Hoog, 1999 ; Pinto et al., 2022 ; Costa, 2023 ; Oliveira et al., 2023 ). Sequencing was carried out using the ABI-3730 (Applied Biosystems) at the Network Technological Platforms of Fiocruz.…”

Identification of potentially harmful bacterial genera of veterinary relevance in the Llanquihue urban wetlands

“…Currently, the One Health perspective for research that unifies animal, human, and environmental health, requires multidisciplinary approaches to deepen the understanding of microbial communities that inhabit a given environment (Oliveira et al, 2023;Banerjee & van der Heijden, 2023;Zinsstag et al, 2018;Farschtschi et al, 2022;Hilborn & Beasley, 2015). An increasing amount of evidence suggests that experimental strategies including global analyses of DNA, RNA, metabolites, and proteins (areas of research classified as "omics") promising alternatives to conducting One Health studies (Gruszecka-Kosowska et al, 2022;Tigistu-Sahle et al, 2023) and the possibility to assess these studios in a variety of environments, ecosystems or conditions.…”