Editor’s Note: Over the years, significant progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and co-infections. Society has provided the best medications and professional knowledge to combat HIV infections, making substantial contributions to those affected. From June 8th to 10th, 2023, the Asia-Pacific AIDS and Co-Infections Conference (APACC 2023) was held in Singapore. In this issue, we are honored to invite Dr. Lang Bai, Deputy Director of the Infectious Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China, to share with us the latest research on Talaromyces marneffei infection, a common fungal disease among AIDS patients and other immunocompromised individuals in Southeast Asia.
Talaromyces marneffei is a thermally dimorphic pathogenic fungus predominantly found in Southeast Asia, capable of causing respiratory, cutaneous, and systemic fungal infections. The prevalence of this disease is highly correlated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In recent years, as the incidence of AIDS has risen, the incidence of Talaromyces marneffei infection has also been on the rise, making it a significant cause of complications and mortality among AIDS patients and other immunocompromised individuals residing in or originating from Southeast Asia.
Despite advances in understanding the epidemiology and virulence factors of Talaromyces marneffei through molecular and genomic research in recent years, many aspects of its biology, transmission, and pathogenesis remain largely unknown. In particular, there is limited information about fungiviruses in Talaromyces marneffei, although it is now known that fungiviruses are widespread in various fungi.
In a study published in mBio in 2018, the first Talaromyces marneffei fungivirus (TmPV1) was discovered in 7 out of 55 clinical isolates of Talaromyces marneffei, revealing its genomic characteristics. This study also found that TmPV1 enhanced the virulence of Talaromyces marneffei in mice and may inhibit the expression of RNA interference (RNAi)-related genes involved in antiviral defense, while potentially upregulating the potential virulence factor genes of Talaromyces marneffei. However, the impact of TmPV1 fungivirus infection on human Talaromyces marneffei infection remains unclear.
At this conference, Dr. Burke M from Duke University School of Medicine presented a study (Abstract #11) that attempted to determine the impact of TmPV1 fungivirus infection on the virulence of Talaromyces marneffei based on data from a clinical research cohort treating Talaromyces marneffei infection with itraconazole and amphotericin B.
The study found a similar prevalence of TmPV1 in this clinical cohort (11.2%). While the analysis of clinical cohort data did not demonstrate a significant clinical impact of TmPV1 virus on human Talaromyces marneffei infection, the presence of TmPV1 fungivirus was found to be highly correlated with Talaromyces marneffei genetic lineages and geographical locations. The prevalence of the virus was significantly higher in patients from northern Vietnam compared to those from southern Vietnam.
Whole-genome sequencing of Tm isolates carrying the fungivirus confirmed that viruses from northern Vietnam belonged to the northern lineage, while those from southern Vietnam belonged to the southern lineage. Therefore, further research is needed to elucidate the strong association between TmPV1 genetic lineages and geographic regions, which may contribute to understanding the interactions between fungiviruses, opportunistic fungi, and human diseases.
Original Article Link:
Burke M, et al. The Role of a Novel TmPV1 Mycovirus on Talaromyces Marneffei Virulence and Its Impact on Human Talaromycosis Outcomes. APACC 2023 Abstract #11
