Biomaterial Database

Isolation of saprophytic Cryptococcus neoformans. 1990

M Pal, and C Onda, and A Hasegawa

Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo, Japan.

Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans was carried out on sunflower seed agar medium (SFA) and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Out of 346 environmental substrates (133 fruits, 107 avian extreta, 91 vegetables and 15 wooden scrapings) tested, 3 specimens were positive for C. neoformans. The positive isolations came from the fruits of 2 banana (Musa sapientum) and a potato tuber (Solnum tuberosum). The pathogen could not be demonstrated in 107 samples of avian droppings and 15 of wooden materials. All the 3 isolates of the yeast were obtained on SFA, while they were not cultured on the plates of SDA with chloramphenicol which were badly contaminated with rapidly growing molds, yeasts and bacteria. To the present author's knowledge, this appears to be the first reports of the isolation of this pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast from contaminated fruits of banana. We suggest more comprehensive ecological surveys to search for environmental niche of C. neoformans var. neoformans and C. neoformans var. gattii as the latter variety is also implicated in the etiology of cryptococcosis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010944	Plants	Multicellular, eukaryotic life forms of kingdom Plantae. Plants acquired chloroplasts by direct endosymbiosis of CYANOBACTERIA. They are characterized by a mainly photosynthetic mode of nutrition; essentially unlimited growth at localized regions of cell divisions (MERISTEMS); cellulose within cells providing rigidity; the absence of organs of locomotion; absence of nervous and sensory systems; and an alternation of haploid and diploid generations. It is a non-taxonomical term most often referring to LAND PLANTS. In broad sense it includes RHODOPHYTA and GLAUCOPHYTA along with VIRIDIPLANTAE.	Plant
D003455	Cryptococcus neoformans	A species of the fungus CRYPTOCOCCUS. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans.	Blastomyces neoformans,Debaryomyces neoformans,Filobasidiella neoformans,Lipomyces neoformans,Saccharomyces neoformans,Torula neoformans,Torulopsis neoformans,Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D005638	Fruit	The fleshy or dry ripened ovary of a plant, enclosing the seed or seeds.	Berries,Legume Pod,Plant Aril,Plant Capsule,Aril, Plant,Arils, Plant,Berry,Capsule, Plant,Capsules, Plant,Fruits,Legume Pods,Plant Arils,Plant Capsules,Pod, Legume,Pods, Legume
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001717	Birds	Warm-blooded VERTEBRATES possessing FEATHERS and belonging to the class Aves.	Aves,Bird
D014675	Vegetables	A food group comprised of EDIBLE PLANTS or their parts.	Vegetable