Catégorie | International |
Période | 2026-2029 (AAP2) |
Porteur | MILLON Laurence |
Unités/Plateformes BFC | Chrono-environnement, PAM |
Collaborateurs externes | Wageningen University & Research |
Doctorants/Postdoctorants | 1 postdoc Steffi ROCCHI |
Stages Master | 1 |
Work Packages HARMI | WP1 |
The objective of this proposal is to characterise the environmental reservoirs and spatial distribution of azole-resistant (AR) Aspergillus, Mucorales, and Fusarium — the three main filamentous fungi responsible for invasive fungal infections (IFI) — in indoor and outdoor environments of the Bourgogne Franche-Comté region (France). These thermotolerant fungi are increasingly implicated in severe human diseases and show worrying levels of antifungal resistance, partly linked to agricultural fungicide use and global environmental change. Understanding their ecology, pathways of human exposure, and links between their presence and resistance and clinical infection is essential to improve prevention strategies, especially for immunocompromised patients.
To achieve these aims, we will conduct a regional-scale participatory sampling campaign involving 250 volunteers. Four simple and inexpensive methods will be used to collect fungal spores from outdoor air (delta traps), indoor air (electrostatic dust collectors), soils, and tap water. Samples will be analysed using both culture-based and molecular approaches to detect, identify, and quantify AR Aspergillus, Mucorales, and Fusarium species. In vitro growth assays will assess the influence of temperature, pH, and fungicide exposure on fungal development. Environmental data (land use, fungicide use, climate) will be integrated through geospatial and multivariate mixed-effects models to identify environmental drivers of fungal occurrence and resistance. Comparisons between compartments (air, soil, water) and between indoor and outdoor environments will allow investigation of possible transfers and correlations with reported IFI cases.
This project is highly relevant to the HARMI aims as it strengthens the understanding of the ecology and spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial communities in identifying environmental sources and transmission pathways of opportunistic fungal pathogens. It addresses the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance as well as pathogens under the One Health approach and the impact global changes.
