Isolation ofCryptococcus gattiimolecular type VGIII, fromCorymbia ficifoliadetritus in Colombia

Abstract

An environmental sampling survey was carried out in different areas of Bogotá, Colombia, to obtain isolates of members of the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complex from Corymbia ficifolia trees. During a 6-month period in 2007, 128 samples consisting of bark, soil around trunk bases, detritus, seeds and flowers were collected from 91 trees and processed according to standard procedures. The molecular type was determined using URA5 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and the mating type was established by PCR using specific primers for Mfalpha and Mfa C. gattii was isolated from 15 of the 128 (11.7%) samples, of which three (20%) were recovered from the red flower extract and the remaining 12 from C. ficifolia detritus. URA5 RFLP analysis revealed that all 15 isolates belonged to the molecular type VGIII and mating type specific PCR revealed that all were mating type a. The isolation of C. gattii from C. ficifolia represents an important finding since this is the first report revealing C. ficifolia as a habitat for C. gattii and adds additional information to the ever growing spectrum of tree species from which C. gattii can be recovered.

Cryptococcosis in Atlántico, Colombia: an approximation of the prevalence of this mycosis and the distribution of the etiological agent in the environment

“…Determination of the ecological niches of genotypes of both species is important. To this end, previous reports have demonstrated the presence of these species associated with eucalyptus, fi cus, and almond trees and with pigeon droppings in several regions throughout Colombia (15) (16) (17) . Therefore, studies of the specifi c distributions of these etiological agents within Atlántico, Colombia are necessary, particularly considering the variety of trees that belong to the local fl ora, including Pink trumpet and Quickstick trees.…”

Cryptococcus gattii VGIII Isolates Causing Infections in HIV/AIDS Patients in Southern California: Identification of the Local Environmental Source as Arboreal

“…Despite the high preponderance of infections caused by C. gattii VGIII in the HIV/AIDS population of California and the Southwestern USA, only one environmental VGIII isolate (WM161) has ever been recovered from California [23], [37], [44], [52]. On the other hand, in Colombia and Argentina VGIII isolates have been isolated from the environment, yet clinical prevalence appears low in those localities [47], [53]–[55].…”

The Fungus among Us: Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii Ecological Modeling for Colombia

“…Samples were processed using conventional techniques, inoculating the supernatant on Guizottia abyssinica agar plates supplemented with Byphenil and antibiotics. Plates were observed daily during one month, and suspected brown colonies were streaked onto Sabouraud glucose agar plates for further phenotypic characterization and species determination [21]. Additionally, one veterinary case was included, from a Canis lupus familiaris.…”