Cryptococcus gattii

Epidemiology

• form of cryptococcus native to Australia.
• it grows in a mycelium on the leaves of Eucalyptus camalduensis (red river gum tree)
• transport of Eucalyptus trees to other parts of the world, including Africa, Brazil & Southern California result in occasional disease due to C. gattii in these areas.

Pathology

• like C neoformans, C gatti may cause pulmonary disease &/or meningitis in immunocompromised individuals

Laboratory

• Cryptococcus gattii+neoformans DNA

More general terms

• Cryptococcus