Molecular epidemiology of Fonsecaea pedrosoi using mitochondrial DNA analysis

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA ) from 49 clinical Fonsecaea pedrosoi isolates (18 isolates from Japan, 17 from Madagascar, 7 from Argentina, 5 from Venezuela, 1 from Costa Rica and 1 unknown) was studied. The 49 isolates were composed of 20 isolates of Typ e 1, 16 of Type 2, 12 of Type 4 and 1 of a new mtDNA type, Type 7, which wa s closely related to Type 2. On the bases of the results of 120 isolates of the present (49 isolates) and previous (71 isolates) studies, F. pedrosoi was classified into seven mtDNA types and according to the relationship bet ween mtDNA types and geographic origins: in Japan and probably in China, Ty pe 1 isolates; in Zaire and Madagascar, Type 2; in Central and South Americ a, Type 4 and Type 1. These results indicated that the geographical origin of F. pedrosoi isolate could be roughly inferred from its mtDNA type.