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Airborne Fungal Diseases
Fungal Infection
Immune Compromised Hosts
Cryptococcus
Candida
Skin Infection with Fungi
Fungal Contamination of Buildings
Fungi in Hospitals
Allergy to Fungi
Fungi in Food
Aspergillus

Blastomycosis
Introductory Article
My Blastomycosis Story
Fatal Brain Infection
Dr G's 2 slide culture
Blastomycosis Images
Blastomycosis Medical Literature
Reflections on an Illness

More About Air and Breathing
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Stephen Gislason MD

Cryptococcus

The genus Cryptococcus includes approximately 37 fungal species. Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common human pathogen. In British Columbia, a tropical version, Cryptococcus gatti was discovered in the coastal rain forest on Vancouver Island after several people became ill and one died.

Lung infection follows inhalation of cryptococci spores, which  grow locally and can spread to other organs especially the brain. Diagnosis of brain infection is made after finding encapsulated yeasts in the cerebrospinal fluid stained with India ink and by culturing the organism from CSF. In AIDS patients CSF cultures are often positive. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage or biopsy are necessary to obtain samples from the lung for testing.

Harrison TS. Cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcosis. J Infect. 2000;41:12-17

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