Characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from urban environmental sources in Goiânia, Goiás State, Brazil Caracterização de Cryptococcus neoformans isolados de fontes ambientais urbanas na cidade de Goiânia, estado de Goiás, Brasil

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Cláudia Castelo Branco Artiaga Kobayashi, Lúcia Kioko Hasimoto e Souza, Orionalda de Fátima Lisboa Fernandes, Sula Cristina Assis de Brito, Ana Cláudia Silva, Efigênia Dantas de Sousa, Maria do Rosário Rodrigues Silva
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2005
• Subjects: Cryptococcus neoformans; Environmental isolates; Pigeon droppings; Susceptibility testing; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652005000400005; https://doaj.org/article/3452bd9c48e54aec88b76804688f6601

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis as the most frequent clinical presentation in immunocompromised patients, mainly in people infected by HIV. This fungus is an environmental encapsulated yeast, commonly found in soil enriched with avian droppings and plant material. A total of 290 samples of pigeon and the other avian droppings, soil, ornamental trees and vegetable material associated with Eucalyptus trees were collected to study environmental sources of Cryptococcus species in Goiânia, Goiás State. The determination of varieties, serotypes and the susceptibility in vitro to fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B of C. neoformans isolates were performed. C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A) was found in 20.3% (36/177) of pigeon dropping samples and in 14.3% (5/35) of samples of Eucalyptus. None of the environmental isolates of C. neoformans showed in vitro resistance to three antifungal agents. The knowledge of major route for human cryptococcal infection (inhalation of infectious particles from saprophytic sources) and a total of 60 C. neoformans isolates obtained from AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis between October 2001 and April 2002 justify the study of the habitats of these yeasts as probable sources of cryptococcosis in this city. Cryptococcus neoformans é um fungo patogênico oportunista que causa meningoencefalite como a apresentação clínica mais importante em pacientes imunocomprometidos, principalmente, em pessoas infectadas pelo HIV. O agente é uma levedura encapsulada, comumente encontrada em solo enriquecido com excretas de aves e em resíduos de plantas. O total de 290 amostras de excretas de pombos e outras aves, de árvores ornamentais e materiais vegetais de Eucalyptus foram coletadas para estudar possíveis fontes ambientais de Cryptococcus spp, na cidade de Goiânia, Goiás. A determinação das variedades, sorotipos e suscetibilidade in vitro frente a fluconazol, itraconazol e anfotericina B dos isolados de C. neoformans ...