title: Cryptococcus neoformans in the respiratory tract of squirrels, Callosciurus finlaysonii (Rodentia, Sciuridae).
abstract: Cryptococcosis is a fungal disease acquired from the environment, for which animals may serve as sentinels for human exposure. The occurrence of Cryptococcus spp. in the respiratory tract of 125 squirrels, Callosciurus finlaysonii, trapped in Southern Italy, was assessed. Upon examination of nasal swabs and lung tissue from each individual, a total of 13 (10.4%) animals scored positive for yeasts, 7 for Cryptococcus neoformans (C.n.) (5.6%) and 6 for other yeasts (4.8%). C.n. was isolated from the nostrils and lungs, with a high population size in nostrils. Two C.n. molecular types, VNI and VNIV, were identified, with C.n. var. grubii VNI the most prevalent. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS+ and URA5 sequences revealed that C.n. isolates were genetically similar to isolates from a range of geographical areas and hosts. Results suggest that C.n. can colonize or infect the respiratory tract of C. finlaysonii. The high occurrence and level of colonization of nasal cavities might be an indicator of environmental exposure to high levels of airborne microorganism. The close phylogenetic relationship of C.n. strains from squirrels with those from human and other animal hosts suggests a potential role for these animals as "sentinels" for human exposure.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iatta
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Immediato
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rita
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Puttilli
authors.affiliation: Istituto zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Danesi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passantino
authors.affiliation: Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Apulia and Basilicata, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Parco Regionale Gallipoli Cognato e Piccole Dolomiti Lucane, Basilicata, Matera, Italy.
authors.forename: Egidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mallia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy claudia.cafarchia@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cafarchia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology*; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005656:Fungal Proteins
keywords: Cryptococcus neoformans; Southern Italy; URA5 RFLP; molecular type; respiratory tract; squirrels