A 24 year old immunocompetent German resident is described who developed multifocal encephalomyelitis due to infection with Cryptococcus neoformans var gatti, commonly considered a disease of tropical regions. In the light of current knowlege on the epidemiology of C neoformans var gatti and the travel history of the patient it is assumed that the infection was aquired outside Europe. As exclusive intramedullary involvement is an outstandingly rare manifestation in spinal cryptococcosis, the particular diagnostic procedure and the therapeutic stratagies are discussed (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2001;70:113-116)