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, 14:16, 29 April 2010
*Over 19 species
**''C. neoformans'' only major pathogen
*Worldwide
*Occurs in high concentrations in pigeon droppings (high creatinine concentration)
**The pigeon is not infected
**''C. neoformis'' colonise the droppings after they have been excreted
**Also found in fruit, milk and soil
*Exogenous, inhaled infection which is generally sporadic (non-contageous)
**Can also be absorbed via skin penetration and ingestion
*May be a primary pathogen or opportunistic
*Targets the [[Cardiorespiratory System - Anatomy & Physiology|respiratory system]]
**Including the [[Paranasal sinuses - Anatomy & Physiology|paranasal sinuses]]
**Also can be systemic, cutaneous, visceral, skeletal or ocular
*Causes sporadic mastitis in cattle
**Can spread within the herd
*Affects the [[Nervous and Special Senses - Anatomy & Physiology#Central Nervous System (CNS)|CNS]] of dogs and cats
**[[Paranasal sinuses - Anatomy & Physiology|paranasal sinuses]] and [[Pharynx - Anatomy & Physiology|pharynx]] can be infected with dissemination to the [[Nervous and Special Senses - Anatomy & Physiology#Central Nervous System (CNS)|CNS]] and other tissues
***E.g. [[Lungs - Anatomy & Physiology|Lungs]], [[Urinary System - Anatomy & Physiology#The Kidney|kidneys]] and [[Joints - Anatomy & Physiology|joints]]
**Also causes subcutaneous granulomas
**The tip of the nose is a common site of infection in cats
***See [[Respiratory Fungal Infections - Pathology#In Cats|here]]
*Causes myxoma-like lesions of the [[Lungs - Anatomy & Physiology|lung]] and [[Lips - Anatomy & Physiology|lip]] in horses
*Causes cryptococcal meningitis in humans
*Also affects dolphins, foxes, ferrets, monkeys, birds, cheetahs and guinea-pigs
*Large yeast with capsule seen using India ink stain
*Stains with PAS (Periodic acis Schiff)
*Gram positive
*Grows on blood agar and Sabouraud's Dextrose agar forming white, granular colonies which become slimy, mucoid and turn creamy/brown within a week
*Species identified by carbohydrate assimilation tests
*Antigen and antibody should be tested for as [[Immunoglobulins - WikiBlood|antibody]] formed by the body is soon overwhelmed and neutralised by abundent polysaccharide antigen from the capsule in active, systemic infections
**Latex agglutination for [[Adaptive Immune System - WikiBlood#Actions of the Adaptive Immune System|antigen]], complement fixation, ELISA and IFAT can be used
[[Category:Yeast-like_Fungi]]