Recapitulation of the sexual cycle of the primary fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii: implications for an outbreak on Vancouver Island, Canada.

ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that exists as three distinct varieties or sibling species: the predominantly opportunistic pathogens C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotype D) and C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A) and the primary pathogen C. neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B and C). While serotypes A and D are cosmopolitan, serotypes B and C are typically restricted to tropical regions. However, serotype B isolates of C. neoformans var. gattii have recently caused an outbreak on Vancouver Island in Canada, highlighting the threat of this fungus and its capacity to infect immunocompetent individuals. Here we report a large-scale analysis of the mating abilities of serotype B and C isolates from diverse sources and identify unusual strains that mate robustly and ar

SUBMITTER: Fraser JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC219376 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature