Cryptococcal meningitis is a central nervous system infection cause by Cryptococcus neoformans. Although Cryptococcus is found in bird droppings, it has never been reported for those ranchers involved in the niche swiftlet ranching industry despite having close proximity with the bird droppings. We present here a case of a 41-year-old healthy swiftlet rancher who presents with a history of prolonged fever, headache and altered behaviour of a month duration. Cerebral spinal fluid analysis revealed the presence of Cryptococcus. He was treated with intravenous amphotericin B and flucytosine and discharged well with fluconazole consolidation therapy for 8 weeks, followed by maintenance therapy for 1 year. We believe this is the first reported case of Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) occurring in an immunocompetent swiftlet rancher. This case should highlight the needs to wear a proper personal protective equipment inside a swiftlet ranch due to the constant exposure to the potential cryptococcal-rich environment. A high index of suspicion, careful history taking and physical examination focusing on neurologic assessment is key to early diagnosis and timely management of CM.
Cryptococcus meningitis

Multilocus sequence typing analysis was applied to determine the genotypes of 147 (137 clinical and 10 environmental) Cryptococcus neoformans and three clinical Cryptococcus gattii isolates from 1993 to 2014 in Korea. Among the 137 clinical isolates of C. neoformans, the most prevalent genotype was ST5 (n = 131), followed by ST31 (n = 5) and ST127 (n = 1). Three C. gattii strains were identified as ST57, ST7, and ST113. All environmental isolates were identified as C. neoformans with two genotypes, ST5 (n = 7) and ST31 (n = 3). Our results show that C. neoformans isolates in Korea are genetically homogeneous, and represent a close genetic relationship between clinical and environmental isolates.
Cryptococcus gattii* ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Genotype* ; Korea* ; Multilocus Sequence Typing

The morphologic differences hetween a mucoid and pasty type of Cryptococcus neoformans derived from pigeon drops were investigated using an eIectron microscope. The following results were obtained: No essential differences in ultramicroscopic structures were noted hetween the mucoid and pasty type of C. neoformans, but the capsule is thicker in the mucoid type than the pasty one and the intracytoplasmic structures were seen more clearly in the mucoid type. These differences seem to he related to chemical components and the difficulty of penetration of fixing solution through thick capsules. There were no differences between C. neoformans derived from pigeon drops and those from pathogenic strains which were reported by others. Therefore, C. neoformans derived form pigeon drops can infect humans.
Capsules ; Columbidae* ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocytes*

Twenty nine samples of pigeon droppings (n = 12) and soil contaminated with avian excreta (n = 19), collected from different sites in Busan, were examined for isolation and characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans. Of these samples, 5 strains of C. neoformans were recovered from pigeon droppings (5/12 : 41.7%). All isolates were belonged to C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A). The extracellular enzyme activities of the strains by using the API-ZYM system showed two different enzymatic patterns. The genetic variability among C. neoformans isolates was analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using three 10-mer primers. Two different RAPD patterns, which clearly distinguished the isolates, were identified. Analysis of RAPD patterns provided a good characterization of environmental strains of C. neoformans serotype A as a heterogeneous group and were in good agreement with enzymatic profiles.
Busan* ; Columbidae ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; DNA ; Soil

The antifungal activities of propolis on Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans were evaluated. In microbroth culture assay, the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of propolis for C. neoformans and C. albicans were 2 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. In propolis-included solid medium assay, the MIC of propolis for C. neoformans and C. albicans were 4 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. Propolis showed fungicidal activity against C. neoformans, whereas propolis possesed fungistatic activity against C. albicans. The MFC (minimum fungicidal concentration) for C. neoformans was 8 mg/ml. Cell morphology of C. neoformans was affected by treatment of propolis. In scanning electron microscope, the appearance of cell rupture was observed.
Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Propolis* ; Rupture

Kojic acid was investigated for its antifungal activity against the human pathogenic fungi including Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Trichophyton rubrum. For C. albicans, C. neoformans and T. rubrum, the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of kojic acid was 640, 80 and 160 microg/ml, respectively. In C. neoformans, melanin-producing yeast, kojic acid-treated nonmelanized cell was more susceptible to magainin than melanized cell, suggesting melanin give a protective function against microbial peptide.
Candida albicans ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Fungi* ; Humans* ; Melanins ; Trichophyton ; Yeasts

China ; epidemiology ; Cryptococcosis ; epidemiology ; Cryptococcus gattii ; Humans

Among 80 types of yeast isolated from wild flowers in Daejeon, Korea, two species that have not yet been identified by phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) genes and 26S rDNA sequences were identified as Candida sp. 44-C-1 and Cryptococcus sp. 9-D-1. Neither of the newly identified species formed ascospores, while Candida sp. 44-C-1 formed pseudomycelium and Cryptococcus sp. 9-D-1 did not.
Candida ; Cryptococcus ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Flowers ; Korea ; Yeasts

Cryptocococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast that can cause life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. In this study, the genetic variability and epidemiological relationships of clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans from Busan, Korea, 2000~2005 were investigated. A total of 12 strains of C. neoformans, 7 clinical and 5 environmental isolates were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using three different primers and PCR-fingerprinting with a minisatellite-specific core sequence of phage M13. All strains belonged to C. neoformans serotype A and mating type MATa. Two different RAPD profiles (I and II) and a single pattern by M13 PCR-fingerprinting were identified. The major RAPD profile was pattern I (8 of 12 strains) and pattern II was identified from 2 clinical and 2 environmental strains, which clearly distinguished among isolates. Clinical strains with pattern II were isolated from the patients with HIV positive. Taken together, molecular patterns provide a good characterization of strains of C. neoformans as a heterogeneous group and epidemiological relationships in clinical and environmental strains.
Bacteriophage M13 ; Cryptococcus ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; DNA ; HIV ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Korea ; Yeasts