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Environmental sources of Cryptococcus neoformans species complex in Kampala, Uganda: A preliminary study

Summary

Researchers in Uganda identified where dangerous fungal organisms that cause meningitis live in the environment. They tested droppings from birds and chickens, and bark from eucalyptus trees. They found that a harmful fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans was present in marabou stork droppings and eucalyptus tree bark, but not in chicken droppings or another related fungus species called C. gattii. This helps explain why some people in Uganda get cryptococcal meningitis, a serious brain infection.

Background

Cryptococcus neoformans species complex is the leading cause of fungal-attributable mortality in HIV/AIDS patients, causing cryptococcal meningitis. The organism is acquired from environmental sources, but the ecological niches of Cryptococcus species in Uganda have not been previously identified.

Objective

To determine the environmental sources of C. neoformans and C. gattii species complexes in Uganda by screening samples from chicken droppings, marabou stork bird droppings, and eucalyptus tree barks in Kampala.

Results

C. neoformans species complex was detected in 4% (6/150) of environmental samples, predominantly from marabou stork droppings at 8% (2/25) and eucalyptus tree barks at 3.96% (4/101), with no isolation from chicken droppings. No C. gattii species complex was isolated from any samples.

Conclusion

The environmental sources of C. neoformans species complex in Uganda are marabou stork droppings and eucalyptus tree barks, while C. gattii species complex appears absent from the sampled specimens. Further genetic and molecular studies on larger sample sizes are recommended.
  • Published in:PLoS One,
  • Study Type:Preliminary environmental survey study,
  • Source: PMID: 40825016, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329947
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