A diverse population of Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGIII in southern Californian HIV/AIDS patients.

ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus gattii infections in southern California have been reported in patients with HIV/AIDS. In this study, we examined the molecular epidemiology, population structure, and virulence attributes of isolates collected from HIV/AIDS patients in Los Angeles County, California. We show that these isolates consist almost exclusively of VGIII molecular type, in contrast to the VGII molecular type isolates causing the North American Pacific Northwest outbreak. The global VGIII population structure can be divided into two molecular groups, VGIIIa and VGIIIb. Isolates from the Californian patients are virulent in murine and macrophage models of infection, with VGIIIa significantly more virulent than VGIIIb. Several VGIII isolates are highly fertile and produce abundant sexual spores that may

SUBMITTER: Byrnes EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3164645 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature