INTRODUCTION Cryptococcus neoformans is a saprophytic yeast that is normally found in the environment associated with organic material such a pigeon droppings and leaf litter. However, C. neoformans is a potential pathogen of both humans and animals. The infectious particle, the basidiospore, is adapted for air dispersal and has properties that allow it to adhere to and penetrate the respirator...

A series of 2-(4-nitro-1-imidazolylmethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole, 1,3,4-triazole and 3-(4-nitro-1-imidazolylmethyl)-1,2,4-triazole derivatives were synthesized and tested for their antimicrobial activity. Some of the tested compounds were active against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium difficile, Aspergillus niger and Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcus, a major cause of disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients, kills over 600,000 people per year worldwide. Genes involved in the virulence of the meningitis-causing fungus are being characterized at an increasing rate, and to date, at least 648 Cryptococcus gene names have been published. However, these data are scattered throughout the literature and are challenging to...

Neonatal infection due to Cryptococcus neoformans is extremely rare. We report a case of a 21-day-old neonate diagnosed with cryptococcal septicemia who was successfully treated with amphotericin B. He was born to a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seronegative mother. This report alerts general pediatricians and neonatologists to consider Cryptococcus neoformans infection as a possible cause...

migratory birds can become long-distance vectors for a wide range of microorganisms. the objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of cryptococcus neoformans in the cloacae, crop and nasal cavity of migratory birds in order to assess their role as potential reservoirs and/or mechanical vectors of human and animal cryptococcosis. a total of 700 samples (cloacae, crops and na...

The laccase enzyme and melanin synthesis have been implicated as contributors to virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. Since isolations of Cryptococcus species other than C. neoformans from clinical specimens have been increasing, we examined the laccase activities of C. albidus, C. laurentii, C. curvatus, and C. humicola. Incubation of cells with epinephrine produced adrenochrome color in C. a...

EN: erythema nodosum PCC: primary cutaneous cryptococcal INTRODUCTION Members of the Cryptococcus genus are opportunistic encapsulated yeasts that cause significant morbidity and mortality most often in immunocompromised hosts. Clinically, cryptococcal infections manifestmost commonlyasmeningitis or a respiratory infection. The cryptococcal species are Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gatt...

Cryptococcosis is a fungal disease caused by multiple Cryptococcus serotypes; particularly C. neoformans (serotypes A and D) and C. gattii (serotypes B and C). To date, there is no clinically available vaccine to prevent cryptococcosis. Mice given an experimental pulmonary vaccination with a C. neoformans serotype A strain engineered to produce interferon-γ, denoted H99γ, are protected against ...

Capsule production is common among bacterial species, but relatively rare in eukaryotic microorganisms. Members of the fungal Cryptococcus genus are known to produce capsules, which are major determinants of virulence in the highly pathogenic species Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Although the lack of virulence of many species of the Cryptococcus genus can be explained solely ...

BACKGROUND Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection with a worldwide distribution, mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. AIMS To molecularly characterize the mating-types, serotypes, genotypes and antifungal susceptibility profiles of a set of retrospectively isolated C. neoformans strains from Lima, Peru. METHODS A set of 32 Cryptococcus spp. strains from the Instit...