Flávia da Silva Fernandes

Dr. Flávia da Silva Fernandes

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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7 August 2025 in Animals
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NLNayara Fátima Lazameth-Diniz
Nayara Fátima Lazameth-Diniz
DADanielle Barreto de Almeida
Danielle Barreto de Almeida
FFFlávia da Silva Fernandes
Flávia da Silva Fernandes
AQAdriana Oliveira da Silva Queiroz
Adriana Oliveira da Silva Queiroz
ÉSÉrica Simplicio de Souza
Érica Simplicio de Souza
João Vicente Braga SousaJoão Vicente Braga Sousa
João Vicente Braga Sousa
Sporotrichosis is a zoonotic fungal infection with increasing incidence in the Brazilian Amazon, primarily affecting domestic cats and posing risks to human health. This study characterized the clinical and epidemiological profiles of 29 feline sporotrichosis cases in Manaus and optimized molecular diagnostic methods for Sporothrix species identification. Most affected cats were young (86.2% aged 1–3 years), male (82.7%), and free-roaming or semi-indoor (44.8% each), frequently presenting cutaneous lesions localized at the nasal planum (23.3%), ears (7%), eyes (2.3%) and other facial areas (18.6%). Three DNA extraction methods were compared; the phenol–chloroform protocol yielded the highest DNA concentration and purity, and ITS1–ITS4 primers showed an adequate sensibility for PCR detection. In silico RFLP profiles using common restriction enzymes showed limited discriminatory power among Sporothrix species. ITS sequencing of four high-quality amplicons confirmed all isolates as Sporothrix brasiliensis. Antifungal susceptibility testing of all isolates revealed geometric mean MICs of 0.25 µg/mL for ketoconazole, 0.57 µg/mL for itraconazole, 7.27 µg/mL for amphotericin B, and 64 µg/mL for fluconazole, respectively. These findings provide clinical, molecular, and therapeutic information supporting the diagnosis and surveillance of feline sporotrichosis in the Amazon, reinforcing the need for ongoing veterinary and public health monitoring.