Virulence Factors and in-Host Selection on Phenotypes in Infectious Probiotic Yeast Isolates (Saccharomyces ‘boulardii’)

• DOI: 10.3390/jof7090746
• Publication Date: 2021-09-13T01:45:57Z
• Authors: Alexandra Imre; Renátó Kovács; Kitti Pázmándi; Dániel Nemes; Ágnes Jakab; Tünde Fekete; Hanna Viktória Rácz; Ilona Dóczi; Ildikó Bácskay; Attila Gácser; Károly Kovács; László Majoros; Zoltán Farkas; István Pócsi; Walter P. Pfliegler
• Keywords: Saccharomyces boulardii

Saccharomyces yeast probiotics (S. ‘boulardii’) have long been applied in the treatment of several gastrointestinal conditions. Despite their widespread use, they are rare opportunistic pathogens responsible for a high proportion mycosis cases. The potential virulence attributes S. ‘boulardii’ as well its interactions with human immune system studied, however, no information is available on how these yeasts may change due to in-host evolution. To fill this gap, we compared general phenotypic characteristics, cell morphology, factors, epithelial and immunological interactions, pathogenicity four probiotic product samples, two mycosis, eight non-mycosis samples ‘boulardii’. We assessed characteristics related major steps infections. Mycosis isolates both displayed novel characters when isolates, but case most factors pathogenicity, differences were negligible or, surprisingly, from products showed elevated levels. No inflicted considerable damage model or bore hallmarks evasion. Our results show that strains possess enable them act upon permissive conditions, entry into bloodstream not active mechanisms depends host. Survival host dependent which many ways once start evolving These facts call attention shortcomings phenotyping research, need more thorough assessment use.