title: [Cyptococcus gattii isolated from a cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in the National Zoo of Cuba].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cryptoccosis--systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus species--has considerably raised its incidence in the last years, mainly associated with the human immunodeficiency virus infection. It has also been described in animals, but rare cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  a case of a female cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) kept in the Nacional Zoo of Havana was presented. The animal came from South Africa. She began losing weight, and suffering asthenia, anorexia and breathing problems with abundant nasal secretion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  mycological testing of these secretions disclosed the presence of serotype B Cryptococcus gattii. Because of the origin and captive condition of the animal, it was believed that the infection had been latent for 16 months at least.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  up to the present, in Cuba, all clinical Cryptococcus isolates were C. neoformans var. grubii, so it is considered that the infection was caught in the country of origin of the female cheetah. This is the first C. gattii isolate in Cuba from an animal coming from South Africa where this fungus is endemic.
authors: Parque Zoológico Nacional, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.
authors: Jorge Luis
authors: JL
authors: Polo Leal
authors: Carlos Manuel
authors: CM
authors: Fernández Andreu
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Martínez Machín
authors: María Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Illnait Zaragozi
authors: Mayda Rosa
authors: MR
authors: Perurena Lancha
mesh_terms: D002612:Acinonyx / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000382:microbiology*; D056285:Cryptococcus gattii / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003462:Cuba; D005260:Female