Abstract
Prolonged Incubation Period for<i>Cryptococcus gattii</i>Infection in Cat, Alaska, USA
Highlights
Cryptococcus gattii (Cg) is a fungus that is commonly isolated from the environment in tropical and sub-tropical regions globally
Cases of cryptococcosis have been documented in Alaska, details about the method of diagnosis, specific fungal variant, presence of comorbidities, or travel history were not routinely collected
In 2008, Cg infection was confirmed in an Alaska resident who had significant travel to Washington and Oregon.[3]
Summary
Cryptococcus gattii (Cg) is a fungus that is commonly isolated from the environment in tropical and sub-tropical regions globally. In contrast to the more commonly-occurring Cryptococcus neoformans infections, Cg is more likely to infect patients without HIV infection and to cause cryptococcomas (tumor-like granulomatous lesions), and is less responsive to antifungal drugs.[2,3] Infection with Cg can be asymptomatic or, after an incubation period that can be as long as 13 months, cause a range of symptoms including chest pain, cough (often lasting weeks to months), fever, headache, meningitis, nausea/vomiting, night sweats, shortness of breath, and weight loss. Because Cg appears to have adapted to a new climatic niche in the Pacific Northwest,[3] further work is warranted to better understand the potential extent of the organism’s ecological range. This will be important for Alaska if our temperature trends continue to rise.[5]
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