Metabolic and phenotypic plasticity may contribute for the higher virulence of Trichosporon asahii over other Trichosporonaceae members.

The predominant species was T. asahii (n = 65), followed by Trichosporon inkin (n = 4), Apiotrichum montevideense (n = 3), Trichosporon japonicum (n = 2), Trichosporon faecale (n = 2), Cutaneotrichosporon debeurmannianum (n = 1), Trichosporon ovoides (n = 1) and Cutaneotrichosporon arboriforme (n = 1). T. asahii isolates had statistically higher growth on lactate and N-acetylglucosamine and on glucose during the first 72 h of culture. T. asahii, T. inkin and T. japonicum isolates were able to perform phenotypic switching. These results expand the virulence knowledge of Trichosporonaceae members and point for a role for metabolic plasticity and phenotypic switching on the trichosporonosis pathogenesis.