Genotypes of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii as agents of endemic cryptococcosis in Teresina, Piauí (northeastern Brazil).
Throughout Brazil, Cryptococcus neoformans is the cause of cryptococcosis, whereas Cryptococcus gattii is endemic to the northern and northeastern states. In this study, the molecular types of 63 cryptococcal isolates recovered from the cerebrospinal fluid of meningitis patients diagnosed between 2008-2010 in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, were analysed. Out of the 63 patients, 37 (58.7%) were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and 26 (41.3%) were HIV-negative. URA5-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis identified 37/63 (58.7%) isolates as the C. neoformans VNI genotype, predominantly in HIV-positive patients (32/37, 86.5%), and 24/63 (38.1%) as the C. gattii VGII genotype, mostly in HIV-negative patients (21/26, 80.8%). The occurrence of C. gattii VGII in six apparently healthy children and in seven adolescents/young adults in this region reaffirms the endemic occurrence of C. gattii VGII-induced primary cryptococcosis and early cryptococcal infection. Lethality occurred in 18/37 (48.6%) of the HIV-positive subjects and in 13/26 (50%) of the HIV-negative patients. Our results provide new information on the molecular epidemiology of C. neoformans and C. gattii in Brazilian endemic areas.
Laboratório de Imunogenética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brasil. liline-martins@uol.com.br
Liline Maria Soares
LM
Martins
Bodo
B
Wanke
Márcia dos Santos
Mdos S
Lazéra
Luciana
L
Trilles
Gláucia Gonçalves
GG
Barbosa
Regina Célia Lima de
RC
Macedo
Maria do Amparo Salmito
Mdo A
Cavalcanti
Kelsen Dantas
KD
Eulálio
José Adail Fonseca de
JA
Castro
Adalberto Socorro da
AS
Silva
Fernando Ferraz do
FF
Nascimento
Viviane Alves
VA
Gouveia
Semiramis Jamil Hadad do
SJ
Monte
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D056285:Cryptococcus gattii / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D055815:Young Adult