title: The origin and maintenance of virulence for the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: The origin of virulence in environmental fungi that have no requirement for animal hosts in their life cycle is enigmatic. Cryptococcus neoformans is a human pathogenic fungus with virulence factors for mammalian pathogenesis that also contribute to environmental survival. C. neoformans virulence may originate from selection pressures imposed by environmental predators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Judith N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Steenbergen
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casadevall
mesh_terms: D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors