Whole genome sequencing analysis of Candida glabrata isolates collected from patients with selected drug-resistant candidiasis hospitalized in Eastern Poland

The epidemiology data for candidiasis indicate an increase in Candida glabrata infections. Moreover, several reports have shown an increasing number of drug-resistant cases of these infections. The source of drug resistance can often be traced to genetic mutations in genes related to a drug's mechanism of action. Therefore, we conducted whole genome sequencing of several drug-resistant isolates of Candida glabrata collected from patients hospitalized in Eastern Poland to assess whether mutations in selected genes correlated with susceptibility analysis results. The fungal species from patient samples were identified, and the isolated Candida glabrata were subjected to antifungal drug susceptibility testing. The results were interpreted according to the EUCAST and CLSI recommendations. Susceptibility to 5-flucytosine was assessed using the ATB FUNGUS kit. Libraries were prepared according to the NEXTERA XT DNA Library Prep and subsequently sequenced. The outcomes indicated common resistance to two of the three analyzed echinocandins, as well as two cases of simultaneous resistance to echinocandins and selected azole-based drugs. We detected several previously reported mutations in selected resistance-related genes, as well as five that are first described here: ERG5 (M267I), ERG6 (R57K), PDH1 (K438Q, V434I, F600V, V1192S), FCY1 (M129T), and FCY2 (I384F). Neither of the identified nonsynonymous mutations was correlated with the drug resistance demonstrated in the susceptibility testing. Furthermore, we can exclude the possibility of acquired drug resistance, thereby raising questions about the possibility of unknown mechanisms of resistance to azole-based and echinocandin drugs.