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Serologic grouping and sexual compatibility of airbornecryptococcus neoformans

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Abstract

Through the use of Anderson air samplers, 214 isolates ofCryptococcus neoformans were cultured from the air in a vacant tower in a large complex of buildings in Oklahoma City. The tower contained hundreds of pigeons, a massive amount of droppings, nests with eggs and young, dying and dead pigeons. All isolates were serotype A-D and self-sterile for the production of basidiospores. Among these, 193 were of the ‘alpha’ mating type, producing basidiospores when paired with ‘a’ mating type. No isolates of ‘α’ mating type were found. The remaining 21 isolates were untypable for their mating type. These findings imply that the infectious particles ofC. neoformans in nature are relatively small, nonencapsulated yeast cells andnot basidiospores.

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Author notes

  1. A. Ruiz

    Present address: University of Puerto Rico, Mayeguez Campus

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mycology Department, American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklan Drive, 20852, Rockville, MD, USA

    S. C. Jong

  2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 73190, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

    G. S. Buhner & A. Ruiz

Authors
  1. S. C. Jong
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  2. G. S. Buhner
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  3. A. Ruiz
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Jong, S.C., Buhner, G.S. & Ruiz, A. Serologic grouping and sexual compatibility of airbornecryptococcus neoformans . Mycopathologia 79, 185–188 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01837197

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