Cryptococcus neoformans

University of Oklahoma Study Abroad Microbiology in Arezzo, Italy[1]

File:Cdiphtheriametachromatic.jpg

C. diphtheriae bacteria, in green, showing metachromatic granules on the ends of the cell. From: http://textbookofbacteriology.net/diphtheria.html

Classification

Higher order taxa

Eukaryota (Kingdom); Fungi (Domain); Basidiomycota (Phylum); Tremellomycetes (Class); Tremellales (Order); Tremellaceae (Family); Cryptococcus (Genus)

Species

C. neoformans v. neoformans, C. neoformans v. grubii. A third variety, C. neoformans v. gattii, is now considered a distinct species, Cryptococcus gattii.

Description

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungus that lives in the environment throughout the world. People can become infected with C. neoformans after breathing in the microscopic fungus, although most people who are exposed to the fungus never get sick from it. C. neoformans infections are extremely rare in people who are otherwise healthy; most cases occur in people who have weakened immune systems, particularly those who have advanced HIV/AIDS.

Pathology

Infection with the fungus Cryptococcus (either C. neoformans or C. gattii) is called cryptococcosis. Cryptococcosis usually affects the lungs or the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), but it can also affect other parts of the body. Brain infections due to the fungus Cryptococcus are called cryptococcal meningitis.