Cryptococcus neoformans

It is a yeast-type fungus that causes' '' cryptococcosis' '(a generalized disease affecting several organs).

Morphology
Cells 5-15 μm in size are  'spherical in shape'  and propagate by budding. They do not form pseudohyphae. On the cell surface there is a wide  'mucus sheath' , which is an important factor virulence because it protects the cryptococcus from phagocytosis.

Epidemiology
Cryptococcus is a common saprophyte in soil, plants and a number of animal hosts. Typical sources of infection are '' nests of birds' and their droppings' '(mainly pigeons). A person is most often infected by inhaling an unencapsulated fungus, sometimes through Skin (benign form).

Pathogenesis
The disease it causes is called cryptococcosis. These can be: .
 * primary mycosis in healthy individuals,
 * secondary mycosis (often in patients AIDS).

They are primarily affected lungs, dangerous hematogenous spread to various organs is dangerous. A serious and typical localization is CNS.

Laboratory diagnostics
Depending on the form of the disease, we examine cerebrospinal fluid, sputum, urine or blood  blood culture. Microscopically, we see typical budding cells with a wide capsule. Antibodies are minimally produced, serological testing is therefore irrelevant.

Cultivation
They are not cultivation demanding. They grow for 5-10 days at 37 ° C and 20 ° C. On Sabourad's land they grow in the form of  'yellow and strikingly shiny colonies' .

Treatment
We administer antifungals (amphotericin B, fluconazole).

Related articles

 * Yeast
 * Findings in the oral cavity in infectious diseases
 * Invasive fungal infections