Cryptococcus neoformans
From MicrobeWiki, the student-edited microbiology resource
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.
