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

BACKGROUNDDespite recent reports on the molecular epidemiology of cryptococcal infections in China, clinical isolates have been mostly reported from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients, and environmental isolates from China have rarely been included. The aim of this study was to investigate the ecological profile of Cryptococcus (C.) neoformans and C. gattii in China.

METHODSA survey was performed in 10 cities from 20°N (North latitude) to 50°N and in a Eucalyptus (E.) camaldulensis forestry farm at the Guixi forestry center, China.

RESULTSSix hundred and twenty samples of pigeon droppings from 10 cities and 819 E. camaldulensis tree samples were collected and inoculated on caffeic acid cornmeal agar (CACA). The brown-colored colonies were recultured to observe their morphology, growth on canavanine-glycine-bromothymol-blue (CGB) medium, phenol oxidase and urease activities, serotype and mating type. There were obvious differences in the positive sample rates of C. neoformans in pigeon droppings collected from the different cities, ranging from 50% in the cities located at latitudes from 30°N - 40°N, 29% at 20°N - 30°N and 13% at 40°N - 50°N.

CONCLUSIONSThere were no differences in positive bevy rates (approximately 80%) among the three grouped cities. Mycological tests of 101 isolates purified from pigeon droppings revealed that they were C. neoformans var. grubii. We also observed variable capsular size around the C. neoformans cells in colonies with variable melanin production and the bio-adhesion of the natural C. neoformans cells with other microorganisms. One urease-negative C. neoformans isolate was isolated from pigeon droppings in Jinan city. No C. gattii was isolated in this study.

Animals ; China ; Columbidae ; microbiology ; Cryptococcosis ; microbiology ; Cryptococcus ; isolation & purification ; Cryptococcus gattii ; isolation & purification ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; isolation & purification ; Eucalyptus ; microbiology ; Feces ; microbiology

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

OBJECTIVETo understand the species, genotypes and mating types of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolated from clinical samples in Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

METHODSA total of 20 Cryptococcus strains were isolated from clinical samples in Guigang from 2009 to 2012. The biological identification was conducted by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. The serotypes and mating types of C. neoformans and C. gattii were identified by PCR with serotype-specific and mating type-specific primers. The genotype was characterized by PCR fingerprinting and URA5 gene restriction fragment length polymorphism (URA5-RFLP). Phenotype study included growth test at 37 °C, melanin production test and urease test.

RESULTSAmong the 20 strains, 19 (95%) were identified as C. neoformans varieties (var.) grubii (serotype A, mating type α, genotype VN I), and only 1 was identified as C. gattii (mating type α, genotype VG I). The results of virulence test showed that all the strains grew well at 37 °C and positive in both urease test and melanin production test.

CONCLUSIONC. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A, genotype VN I and mating type α) was the predominant pathogen causing cryptococcosis in Guigang, and C. gattii strain was also detected.

China ; Cryptococcus gattii ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Virulence

Cryptococcus spp. other than Cryptococcus neoformans or Cryptococcus gattii were previously considered saprophytes and thought to be non-pathogenic to humans. However, opportunistic infections associated with non-neoformans and non-gattii species, such as Cryptococcus laurentii and Cryptococcus albidus, have increased over the past four decades. We experienced a case of cryptococcosis caused by non-neoformans and non-gattii spp. in a 47-year-old female with refractory acute myeloid leukemia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient underwent salvage chemotherapy with fluconazole prophylaxis and subsequently developed neutropenic fever with multiple erythematous umbilicated papules. A skin biopsy revealed fungal hyphae and repetitive blood cultures showed yeast microorganisms that were identified later as C. laurentii by Vitek-II®. Skin lesions and fever began to improve with conventional amphotericin B therapy. The treatment regimen was continued for 21 days until the disseminated cryptococcosis was completely controlled.
Amphotericin B ; Biopsy ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus gattii ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Cryptococcus* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Fever ; Fluconazole ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Middle Aged ; Opportunistic Infections ; Skin Manifestations* ; Skin* ; Yeasts

Typing of cryptococcal varieties and antifungal susceptibility testing were performed on two strains which were isolated from a nonimmunosuppressed host with cryptococcal meningitis and another from a patient with systemic cryptococcosis with underlying liver cirrhosis. Both varieties of clinical isolates were identified by the use of the glycin-cycloheximide-bromothymol blue agar medium as Cryptococcus neoformans variety neoformans. For the two isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of amphotericin B were 0.25 g/mL and the MICs of fluconazole were 8 g/mL.
Agar ; Amphotericin B ; Cryptococcosis ; Cryptococcus neoformans* ; Cryptococcus* ; Fluconazole ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal