Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a systemic infection caused by species of the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus. The disease may occur in immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts and is acquired by the inhalation of infectious propagules present in the environment. Cryptococcus is distributed in a plethora of ecological niches, such as soil, pigeon droppings, and tree hollows, and each year new reservoirs are discovered, which helps researchers to better understand the epidemiology of the disease. In this review, we describe the ecoepidemiology of the C. gattii species complex focusing on clinical cases and ecological reservoirs in developing countries from different continents. We also discuss some important aspects related to the antifungal susceptibility of different species within the C. gattii species complex and bring new insights on the revised Cryptococcus taxonomy.
Highlights
Cryptococcosis is a systemic fungal disease caused by yeasts belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complexes [1], affecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts and causing devastating diseases [2]
We describe the ecological distribution of the C. gattii species complex and highlight the environmental reservoirs of this pathogen in developing countries
It became clear that the C. gattii species complex is not associated genus but that it has a predilection for plant/wood debris in general
Summary
Cryptococcosis is a systemic fungal disease caused by yeasts belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complexes [1], affecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts and causing devastating diseases [2]. It is estimated that approximately 225,000 new cryptococcal meningitis cases occur globally each year, the majority of which (73%) occur in sub-Saharan Africa [3]. Many ecological niches have been investigated globally in an attempt to elucidate the environmental reservoirs [7,8,9]. We describe the ecological distribution of the C. gattii species complex and highlight. Cryptococcus some important aboutsusceptibility the antifungalofsusceptibility of this species complexinand in the taxonomy that has recently been debated among researchers and clinicians. Cryptococcus taxonomy that has recently been debated among researchers and clinicians
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