Genotyping of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from captive birds in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

To evaluate Cryptococcus spp. molecular types isolated from captive birds' droppings, an epidemiological survey was carried out in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil, from December 2006 to September 2008. A total of 253 samples of bird excreta (120 fresh and 133 dry) were collected from pet shop cages and houses in different neighbourhoods. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated in 19 (14.28%) dry samples and one fresh sample (0.84%). Cryptococcus laurentii was recovered from seven (5.26%) dry samples, but not in the fresh samples. The canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue test was positive in all but one of the C. laurentii isolates. Cryptococcus neoformans molecular typing was performed using URA5-RFLP and the mating type locus using mating type specific PCR. Nineteen (95.0%) presented genotype VNI and one VNII (5.0%). In addition, all isolates presented mating type α. Thus, the genotype of the environmental C. neoformans isolates observed in this study is in accordance with others already reported around the world and adds information about its distribution in Brazil. Cryptococcus laurentii strains were typed using URA5-RFLP and M13 fingerprinting, which showed similar profiles among them. Thus, despite the low number of C. laurentii isolates analysed, their molecular profile is different from another already reported.

Candida species distribution, genotyping and virulence factors of Candida albicans isolated from the oral cavity of kidney transplant recipients of two geographic regions of Brazil

“…This technique has not been widely used for this species [21], but has been largely used to type Cryptococcus neoformans [16,31]. …”

Isolation of Cryptococcus species from the external environments of hospital and academic areas

“…These species are also isolated from the environment in organic matter, such as tree debris and bird excreta [7,17,19]. Andrade-Silva et al [6] and Ferreira-Paim et al [20] reported Cryptococcus spp., including C. laurentii and C. neoformans sensu lato, isolated from dried excreta of birds in domestic environments and in areas around the hospital.…”

The persistence of multifocal colonisation by a single ABC genotype of Candida albicans may predict the transition from commensalism to infection

“…First described in 1999 by McCullough et al, ABC genotyping was developed on the basis of the presence or absence of an insert in the DNA that encodes for the 25S ribosomal RNA gene among different C. albicans genotypes (McCullough et al 1999). Microsatellite typing using primer M13, which amplifies short tandem repeats, was first employed to type Cryptococcus strains in Brazil (Casali et al 2003) and has been extensively used to type this encapsulated yeast (Loperena-Alvarez et al 2010, Pedroso et al 2010, Ferreira-Paim 2011. Nevertheless, only a few studies have employed the M13 primer to type C. albicans (Bartie et al 2001).…”