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Cryptococcus neoformàns var. gattii among patients with cryptococcal meningitis in Mexico. First observations

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Abstract

A retrospective study of 20 patients with cryptococcal meningitis and their isolated strains was performed. Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans was recovered from 14 (70%) cases, and var. gattii was recovered from six (30%) patients. Twelve patients had AIDS (all carrying var. neoformans), two had other diseases (one with var. neoformans and one var. gattii) and there was no identifiable underlying disease in six (one var. neoformans and five var. gattii). Fourteen patients (11 var. neoformans and three var. gattii) resided in the Mexico City area, where a temperate climate is prevalent, and there were six cases (three var. neoformans and three var. gattii) from states with a tropical/subtropical climate. Although there was no significant statistical difference between the two varieties, the fatal outcome was higher in patients with var. neoformans. The disease caused by var. gattii strains was characterized by a higher opening pressure, more inflamatory changes of CSF and a longer clinical course (delayed clinical and mycological cure). Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii is a significant cause of cryptococcal meningitis in patients without underlying diseases in Mexico.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Micología Médica del Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad National Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

    Rubén López-Martínez & Laura Rocío Castañón-Olivares

  2. Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas del Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, México, D.F.

    José Luis Soto-Hernández, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner & Verónica Angeles-Morales

  3. División de Investigación del Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, México, D.F.

    Julio Sotelo

Authors
  1. Rubén López-Martínez
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  2. José Luis Soto-Hernández
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  3. Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner
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  4. Laura Rocío Castañón-Olivares
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  5. Verónica Angeles-Morales
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  6. Julio Sotelo
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López-Martínez, R., Soto-Hernández, J.L., Ostrosky-Zeichner, L. et al. Cryptococcus neoformàns var. gattii among patients with cryptococcal meningitis in Mexico. First observations. Mycopathologia 134, 61–64 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436865

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436865

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