SEROTYPE DISTRIBUTION OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS AND CRYPTOCOCCUS GATTII IN PATIENTS AND IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF JABALPUR, A CITY OF MADHYA PRADESH IN INDIA

摘要

Geographical distribution of serotypes of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii has been useful in understanding the global epidemiology of Cryptococcosis. In this study done between 1998-2004, 14 strains of C. neoformans and C. gattii fromclinical cases and 53 from environment were isolated from the Jabalpur city of Central India. Of the total 53 environmental strains, 51 (96.2%) were Cryptococcus neoformans and 02 (3.7%) Cryptococcus gattii. Among 51 C. neoformans isolates 45 (84.9%) were serotype A; and both serotype D and AD were 03 (5.66%).The two C. gattii strains isolated were serotype B. Human urine soaked soil is reported as a new site for the isolation of C. gattii serotype B. In India C. neoformans serotype AD has been, for thefirst time, isolated from the environment in our study. Out of 14 clinical cases investigated, 09 (64.3%) yielded C. neoformans serotype A and 02 (14.3%) C. neoformans serotype D followed by 03 (21.4%) C. gattii serotype B. In Central India C. neoformans (serotype D) has been, for the first time, reported both from the environment as well as from clinical cases. Our results suggest that the distribution of different serotypes of C. neoformans (A,D and AD) and C. gattii (B) in the environment and amongpatients here may vary from other climatically different regions of India.