Dynamics of Aspergillus fumigatus in azole-fungicide-containing plant waste, the Netherlands, 2016-2017

The treatment of patients suffering from Aspergillus diseases is hampered due to infections with Aspergillus fumigatus that are already resistant to medical azoles. Previous work has suggested that A. fumigatus likely gains resistance through environmental azole exposure in so-called hotspots. Here, we investigated A. fumigatus resistance dynamics over time, at three sites at which farmers used azole fungicides for crop protection. Over 16 months 114 samples were taken from stockpiles of decaying plant waste. A. fumigatus and azole fungicide residues were ubiquitously present in the plant wast... Mehr ...