Rising to the challenge of multiple Cryptococcus species and the diseases they cause

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii are well-studied basidiomyceteous yeasts that are capable of causing disease in healthy and immunocompromised people. The Conference on Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis (ICCC) is held every three years: the accompanying Special Issue stems from the 9th ICCC and covers a subset of the topics related to these fungi in detail. This conference started with a revised and reduced estimate of disease burden globally, in part due to improved treatment for HIV+ people. However, mortality from cryptococcosis remains consistently high for those unfortunate to have limited access to therapies or without underlying immunodefiencies. As such, there are yet still great distances to be covered to address antifungal drug availability, the need for new antifungal agents and the timing and doses of these agents in conjunction with antiviral therapy, underscoring the importance of continued research. A notable point from the 9th ICCC was the research addressing the variation in the pathogen and host populations. Analysis of cryptococcal strain variability, particularly at the molecular level, has resolved distinct lineages with the consequence of a taxonomic revision that divides C. neoformans and C. gattii into seven Cryptococcus species. Similarly, analysis of host factors in so called “immune-competent” individuals revealed previously unrecognized risk factors. Research on these species has established them as important model organisms to understand gene evolution and function in other fungi and eukaryotes. The stage is set for the refinement of research directions, leading ultimately to better treatment of this pathogenic monophyletic clade in the genus Cryptococcus.

Cryptococcosis in patients with diabetes mellitus II in mainland China: 1993‐2015

“…Although Cryptococcus is a well‐known pathogen that was first isolated from the environment and humans >100 years ago, most of the current knowledge regarding cryptococcosis has been associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic . In the post‐highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, the changing epidemiology of cryptococcal diseases among HIV patients has been characterised by decreases in incidence and mortality . However, among non‐communicable diseases (NCDs) that affect the human population, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, kidney transplantation, nephrotic syndrome and diabetes mellitus II (DM II), cryptococcosis has received continued attention .…”

“…5,6 In the post-highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, the changing epidemiology of cryptococcal diseases among HIV patients has been characterised by decreases in incidence and mortality. 7 However, among non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that affect the human population, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, kidney transplantation, nephrotic syndrome and diabetes mellitus II (DM II), cryptococcosis has received continued attention. [8][9][10][11] In contrast with HIV-related cryptococcosis, the clinical features of which have been adequately described in previous studies, 12,13 the epidemiology and manifestations of cryptococcosis in NCDs that affect the human population, including DM II, are unclear.…”

In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibility of Environmental Isolates of <i>Cryptococcus</i> spp. from the West Region of Cameroon

“…grubii is mostly incriminated in infections with immunocompromised hosts while C. neoformans var. gattii predominantly affects immunocompetent hosts (6,7,8). They also differ in their ecological niches and geographical distribution.…”

Evaluation of lateral flow immunochromatographic assay for diagnostic accuracy of cryptococcosis

“…Neoformans are considered to be C. deneoformans. The strains of C. gattii consist of ve species: C. gattii, C. bacillisporus, C. deuterogattii, C. tetragattii and C. decagattii [1] . C. gattii and C. neoformans are responsible for almost all cryptococcal infections in humans [2] .…”