Serotype, mating type and ploidy of Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated from patients in Brazil

Authors

  • Misako OHKUSU Chiba University; Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses
  • Naomi TANGONAN Chiba University; Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses
  • Kanji TAKEO Chiba University; Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses
  • Eriko KISHIDA Chiba University; Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses
  • Masami OHKUBO Chiba University; Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses
  • Shigeji AOKI Nippon Dental University; Advanced Research Center
  • Kenjiro NAKAMURA Nippon Dental University; Advanced Research Center
  • Takaaki FUJII Chiba University; Faculty of Horticulture
  • Isadora C. de SIQUEIRA Universidade de São Paulo; Hospital das Clínicas
  • Elves A.P. MACIEL Universidade de São Paulo; Hospital das Clínicas
  • Sumire SAKABE Universidade de São Paulo; Hospital das Clínicas
  • Gisele M.D. ALMEIDA Universidade de São Paulo; Hospital das Clínicas
  • Elisabeth M. HEINS-VACCARI Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
  • Carlos da S. LACAZ Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

Keywords:

AIDS, Cryptococcus neoformans, Mating type, Ploidy, Serotype

Abstract

Serotype, mating type and ploidy of 84 strains of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from 61 AIDS and 23 non-AIDS patients admitted in a tertiary teaching hospital in São Paulo, Brazil were examined. Among 61 strains isolated from AIDS patients, 60 strains were var. grubii (serotype A). Only one strain was var. gattii (serotype B). No var. neoformans (serotype D) was found. Among 23 strains isolated from non-AIDS patients, 15 were var. grubii (serotype A) and the remaining 8 were var. gattii, all of which were serotype B. Seventy-three of the 75 serotype A strains were the heterothallic alpha type (MATalpha) and the remaining 2 were untypable (asexual). Most of the MATalpha strains (69/73) were haploid and the remaining 4 strains were diploid. Similarly, both of the 2 asexual strains among the 75 serotype A strains were haploid. There were no alpha-mating type (MATalpha) strains among the 84 isolates. All of the 8 var. gattii strains were serotype B and haploid. Among a total of 84 strains tested, neither serotype AD nor serotype D were found. Neither triploid nor tetraploid were found. These results suggest that the serological, sexual and ploidy characteristics in C. neoformans strains isolated from AIDS patients in São Paulo were rather simple, whereas strains isolated from non-AIDS patients presented serotype A and B with predominance of serotype A.

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Published

2002-12-01

Issue

Section

Mycology

How to Cite

OHKUSU, M., TANGONAN, N., TAKEO, K., KISHIDA, E., OHKUBO, M., AOKI, S., NAKAMURA, K., FUJII, T., SIQUEIRA, I. C. de, MACIEL, E. A., SAKABE, S., ALMEIDA, G. M., HEINS-VACCARI, E. M., & LACAZ, C. da S. (2002). Serotype, mating type and ploidy of Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated from patients in Brazil . Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De São Paulo, 44(6), 299-302. https://revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/30649