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| {{Taxobox
| | #REDIRECT[[Cryptococcosis]] |
| | color = lightblue
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| | name = ''Cryptococcus''
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| | image = Cryptococcus_neoformans_using_a_light_India_ink_staining_preparation_PHIL_3771_lores.jpg
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| | image_caption = ''Cryptococcus neoformans''
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| | regnum = [[Fungi]]
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| | phylum = [[Basidiomycota]]
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| | subphylum = [[Basidiomycotina]]
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| | classis = [[Urediniomycetes]]
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| | ordo = [[Sporidiales]]
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| | familia = [[Sporidiobolaceae]]
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| | genus = '''''[[Filobasidiella]] (Cryptococcus)'''''
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| }}
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| ==Overview==
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| '''''Cryptococcus''''' (literally "Hidden Seed") is a [[genus]] of [[fungus]]. It grows in culture as a [[yeast]]. The perfect (sexual) form or [[teleomorph]] is called '''Filobasidiella''', but the imperfect (asexual) form or [[anamorph]] is called '''Cryptococcus'''. The name Cryptococcus is correct when used in a medical context because the infective form is the imperfect form.
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| ''[[Cryptococcus neoformans]]'' is the most prominent medically important [[species]]. It is best known for causing a severe form of [[meningitis]] and meningo-encephalitis in persons with [[HIV]] infection and [[AIDS]]. There are about 37 recognized species of ''Cryptococcus'', but the [[taxonomy]] of the group is currently being re-evaluated with up-to-date methods. The majority of species live in the soil and are not harmful to humans. Very common species include ''Cryptococcus laurentii'' and ''Cryptococcus albidus''. Of all species, ''[[Cryptococcus neoformans]]'' is the major human and animal pathogen. However, ''Cryptococcus laurentii'' and ''Cryptococcus albidus'' have been known to occasionally cause moderate-to-severe disease in human patients with compromised immunity (owing to HIV infection, cancer chemotherapy, metabolic immunosuppression, ''et cetera'') [Reference 1, 2].
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| ''[[Cryptococcus gattii]]'' (or ''Cryptococcus neoformans'' var ''gattii'') is endemic to tropical parts of the continent of Africa and Australia. It is capable of causing disease in non-immunocompromised people. It is has been isolated from [[eucalyptus]] trees in Australia. Since 1999, there has been an outbreak of cryptococcus gattii infections in eastern [[Vancouver Island]],<ref>{{cite journal | author=Lindberg J, Hagen F, Laursen A, ''et al.'' | title=''Cryptococcus gattii'' risk for tourists visiting Vancouver lsland, Canada | journal=Emerg Infect Dis | year=2007 | volume=13 | pages=178–79 }}</ref> an area not generally thought to be endemic for this organism. Cases have since been described in the [[Pacific northwestern United States]].<ref>{{cite journal | author=MacDougall L, Kidd SE, Galanis E, ''et al.'' | title=Spread of ''Cryptoccus gattii'' in British Columbia, Canada and detection in the Pacific Northwest, USA | journal=Emerg Infect Dis | year=2007 | volume=13 | pages=42–50 }}</ref>
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| The cells of these species are covered in a thin layer of glycoprotein capsular material that has a gelatin-like consistency and that, among other functions, serves to help extract nutrients from the soil. But ''C. neoformans'' capsule is different in being richer in glucuronic acid and mannose, having O-acetyl groups [Reference 3], and functioning as the major virulence factor in cryptococcal infection and disease [Reviewed extensively in Reference 4].
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| '''References:'''
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| 1. Cheng MF, Chiou CC, Liu YC, Wang HZ, Hsieh KS (2001) ''Cryptococcus laurentii'' fungemia in a premature neonate. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 39(4):1608-11. - a good review of ''C. laurentii'' cases till year 2000.
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| 2. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=PureSearch&db=pubmed&details_term=%28%28%22cryptococcus%22%5BMeSH%20Terms%5D%20OR%20%28%22cryptococcosis%22%5BTIAB%5D%20NOT%20Medline%5BSB%5D%29%20OR%20%22cryptococcosis%22%5BMeSH%20Terms%5D%20OR%20cryptococcus%5BText%20Word%5D%29%20AND%20albidus%5BAll%20Fields%5D%20AND%20%28%22infection%22%5BMeSH%20Terms%5D%20OR%20%28%22communicable%20diseases%22%5BTIAB%5D%20NOT%20Medline%5BSB%5D%29%20OR%20%22communicable%20diseases%22%5BMeSH%20Terms%5D%20OR%20infection%5BText%20Word%5D%29%29%20AND%20%22humans%22%5BMeSH%20Terms%5D Results from a PubMed Search on terms: "Cryptococcus albidus Infection"] - list of references for ''C. albidus'' clinical infections. Click on the hyperlink to go to the [http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed PubMed] Search page.
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| 3. Ross A, Taylor IE (1981) Extracellular glycoprotein from virulent and avirulent Cryptococcus species. Infection and Immunity. 31(3):911-8
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| 4. Casadevall A and Perfect JR (1998) Cryptococcus neoformans. American Society for Microbiolgy, ASM Press, Washington DC, 1st edition.
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Basidiomycota]]
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| [[Category:Yeasts]]
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| {{yeast-stub}}
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| [[de:Cryptococcus]]
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| [[ru:Криптококк]]
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