A Population Genomics Approach to Assessing the Genetic Basis of Within-Host Microevolution Underlying Recurrent Cryptococcal Meningitis Infection.

ABSTRACT: Recurrence of meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans after treatment causes substantial mortality in HIV/AIDS patients across sub-Saharan Africa. In order to determine whether recurrence occurred due to relapse of the original infecting isolate or reinfection with a different isolate weeks or months after initial treatment, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to assess the genetic basis of infection in 17 HIV-infected individuals with recurrent cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Comparisons revealed a clonal relationship for 15 pairs of isolates recovered before and after recurrence showing relapse of the original infection. The two remaining pairs showed high levels of genetic heterogeneity; in one pair we found this to be a result of infection by mixed genotypes, while the second

SUBMITTER: Rhodes J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5386865 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature