SUMMARYCryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans is the second most common fungal opportunistic pathogen and a lifethreatening infection with serious clinical manifestations especially in HIV/AIDS and other immunocompromised patients. In Nigeria, HIV/AIDS infection has reached an alarming level. Despite this, information on the presence of this fungus in clinical and environmental samples is very scanty in Nigeria and many other parts of Africa. We set out to evaluate the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans or C. gattii in pigeon droppings obtained from Southeastern Nigeria. One hundred and seventy-seven samples of pigeon droppings from six sample types were collected. The area covered comprised of ten cities and other locations spanning across five States in Nigeria. Using established techniques, Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from 39 of the 177 (22.0%) samples overall. No C. gattiiwas isolated. Most of the isolates (32.4%) were recovered from dovecotes (11 of 34) followed closely by samples taken from markets (31.8%; seven of 22) and least from the church (4.0%; one of 25). The highest isolation rate (38.9%) was found in samples from Enugu-Ezike(seven of 23) while the least came from Afikpoand the other locations each with 9.1% isolation rate. This is the first large-scale screening of Cryptococcus neoformans from pigeon droppings in Nigeria. The ecological and epidemiological significance of these findings are discussed.

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The production of some virulence factors under different growth conditions and antibiotic suscept bility pattern of Aeromonas hydrophila were investigated in this s udy. The virulence actors tested on the isolates included haemolytic activity, exopolysaccharide (capsule) and toxin production. Other cell property evaluated was antibiotic resistance. Of the several chemotherapeutants tested, streptomycin had Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Cidal Concentration (MCC) at 25 µg/ml; flumequine, MIC 15 µg/ml and MCC 20 µg/ml; nitrofurantoin, MIC 20 µg/ml and MCC at 20 µg/ml; chloramphenicol, MIC 15 µg/ml and MCC 30 µg/ml and nalidixic acid, MIC 25 µg/ml, MCC 30 µg/ml, respectively. Virulence characteristics were apparent from the study; the properties exhibited such as ß-haemolytic activity (F= 1.32551; p < 0.001) and toxin product on (F = 0.141; p > 0.05) were evidence of the pathogenic potential of A. hydrophila.