• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2014

Cryptococcal infection is primarily caused by two species, Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii. Between the two species, C. neoformans var. grubii is the major causative agent of cryptococcosis in Asia. We investigated the molecular characteristics of 46 isolates of C. neoformans from patients with cryptococcosis between 2008 and 2012 in Seoul, Korea. All the isolates were determined to be C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A), mating type $MAT{\alpha}$, and molecular type VNI by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of the URA5 gene. Multilocus sequencing type (MLST) analysis using the International Society of Human and Animal Mycoses (ISHAM) consensus MLST scheme identified two sequence types (ST). Out of the 46 strains, 44 (95.7%) were identified as ST5, and remaining 2 were identified as ST31. Our study revealed that the clinical strains of C. neoformans in Korea are genetically homogeneous with the VNI/ST5 genotypes, and new appearance of VNI/ST31 genotype may serve as an important indicator of global genetic analysis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.198-203
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• 1996

일반적인 치료에 반응을 나타내지 않는 호흡곤란증에 걸린 4년령의 Shepherd개에서 피부, 눈, 림프절의 병변을 동반한 치명적인 파종성 크립토콕스병이 진단되었다. 세포학적검사에 의해 난원형 내지 구형이고, 두꺼운 협막을 갖고 있는, 형태학적으로 Cryptococcus neoformans와 일치하는 효모균이 증명되었다. 이 병원체는 혈액, 오줌, 콧물, 견갑전림프절 흡인물, 피부생검 시료, 피부 면봉 시료 등을 25$\circ $C의 Pal씨 배지에 접종하여 용이하게 분리되었다 배양물을 PHOL염색액으로 염색하여 현미경으로 검사한 결과 얇은 막에 싸인 발아를 나타내거나. 나타내지 않는 구형 내지 난원형의 효모균이 증명되었다. 이 개는 ketaconazole 로 치료를 시작 한 후 6일만에 폐사하였다. 공기, 흙, 비둘기 배설물, 톱밥 등을 Pal씨 배지에 접종하여 C.neoformans가 배양됨으로써 역학적으로 환경이 병원소 역할을 한 것으로 판단되었다. 환축과 환경으로부터 분리된 균주는 세밀한 동정결과 neoformans (serotype AD)에 속하며, Filobasidiella neoformans "alpha" mating type을 나타내었다. 이 연구결과, Pal씨 배지가 크립토콕스병의 조기진단과 역학적 조사에 훌륭한 감별배지라는 것이 입증되었다. 개량된 Pal씨 배지는 C. neoformans의 genetic crossing을 판단하는데 성공적으로 사용할 수 있었다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.276-280
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• 2015

Cryptococcal pneumonia usually occurs in immunocompromised patients with malignancy, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, organ transplantations, immunosuppressive chemotherapies, catheter insertion, or dialysis. It can be diagnosed by gaining tissues in lung parenchyma or detecting antigen in blood or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Here we report an immunocompetent 32-year-old male patient with diabetes mellitus diagnosed with cryptococcal pneumonia after a ultrasound-guided percutaneous supraclavicular lymph node core needle biopsy. We treated him with fluconazole at 400 mg/day for 9 months according to the guideline. This is the first case that cryptococcal pneumonia was diagnosed from a percutaneous lymph node biopsy in South Korea.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2010

Past decade systemic mycoses caused by opportunistic human fungal pathogens, including Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus, have been a growing problem for both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. Particularly, Cryptococcus neoformans has recently emerged as a major fungal pathogen, which can cause fungal pneumonia and meningitis that are lethal if not timely medicated. However, treatment for cryptococcosis has been difficult due to a lack of proper anti-cryptococcal drugs with fungicidal activity and less toxicity. In this review we introduced novel therapeutic methods for treating cryptococcosis by exploring pathogenomic signa1ing networks of C. neoformans with genome-wide transcriptome approaches as well as diverse molecular/genetic tools.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.700-703
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• 2005

We experienced a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent patient who presented with uncommon radiological findings. He complained of a dry cough for 3 weeks. The chest X-ray and CT showed multiple, variable sized, and irregular patch consolidations with cavities combined with some ground glass opacities in both lower lung fields. The diagnosis was made histologically via a thoracoscopic lung biopsy. The patient was administered oral fluconazole has since been well.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.145-150
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• 2016

In order to perform an epidemiological characterization of opportunistic mycosis infections, we collected health insurance data between the years 2006 and 2010 from the Health Insurance Corporation and analyzed the data to determine the prevalence of opportunistic mycoses and treatment management of opportunistic mycoses. The prevalence within the study increased consecutively by 0.02% to 0.12% every year. The annual prevalence of opportunistic mycoses increased from 2.437% in 2006 to 2.709% in 2010. The average annual prevalence was 2.605%. Candidiasis occurred the most frequently, followed by aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and cryptococcosis. The regions with the highest incidences were the capital areas, Gyeonggi and Seoul. By sex, the prevalence in females (4.851%) was 14 times higher than that in males (0.352%). Interestingly, the adults from the 20- to 49-year-old age group showed higher prevalence than children and the elderly. The average duration of hospitalized treatment was 17.31 days and of outpatient treatment was 2.21 days; 3,577 hundred million won was used in total for medical expenses. This study provides useful data to study trends of opportunistic mycoses.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2005

C. neoformans-associated cryptococcosis is primarily a disease of immunocompromised persons, has a world-wide distribution, and is often spread by pigeons in the urban environment. In contrast, C. gattii causes infection in normal hosts, has only been described in tropical and semi-tropical areas of the world, and has a unique niche in river gum Eucalyptus trees. Cryptococcosis is acquired through inhalation of the yeast propagules from the environment. C. gattii has been identified as the cause of an emerging infectious disease centered on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. No cases of C. gattii-disease were diagnosed prior to 1999; the current incidence rate is 36 cases per million population. A search was initiated in 2001 to find the ecological niche of this basidiomycetous yeast. C. gattii was found in the environment in treed areas of Vancouver Island. The highest percentage of colonized-tree clusters were found around central Vancouver Island, with decreasing rates of colonization to the north and south. Climate, soil and vegetation cover of this area, called the Coastal Douglas fir biogeoclimatic zone, is unique to British Columbia and Canada. The concentration of airborne C. gattii was highest in the dry summer months, and lowest during late fall, winter, and early spring, months which have heavy rainfall. The study of the emerging colonization of this organism and subsequent cases of environmentally acquired disease will be informative in planning public health management of new routes of exposure to exotic agents in areas impacted by changing climate and land use patterns.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.127-131
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• 1986

The mating types and serotypes of 10 clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans have been investigated. Seven isolates were serotype A and three were serotype D and thus they fell in C. neoformans var. neoformans. Mating types of six isolates were found $\alpha$ and two were $\alpha$ but another two isolates were untypable. Enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay(ELISA) using rabbit hyper-immune serum to cryptococcal polysaccharides was well adapted to the analysis of capsular polysaccharides in sera of the patients with cryptococcal meningitis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2022

Vocal fold leukoplakia poses a challenge to otolaryngologists due to its various spectrum of pathologic diagnosis. The degree of dysplasia is associated with malignancy risk and the new 2017 WHO classification system changed from the 3-tier system to a 2-tier system consisting of low and high grades. Infections including candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and tuberculosis should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Efforts have been made to evaluate risks using endoscopic technologies such as narrow band imaging, and surgery is essential for histopathological diagnosis. Regarding management, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis and find a balance between oncologic safety and functional outcome.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.115-118
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• 2013

An 8-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was presented with a chief complaint of chronic nasal discharge and dyspnea. Physical examination revealed pyohemorrhagic nasal discharge, inspiratory dyspnea and stertor, and an enlarged right mandibular lymph node. Abnormalities of blood works and serum chemistry included mildly increased hematocrit, and globulin concentration. Serologic tests for FeLV and FIV, and a panel of polymerase chain reaction tests for Chlamydophila felis, Feline Calicivirus, Herpesvirus, Bordetella, Mycoplasma felis, and H1N1 influenza was all negative. Only radiographic finding showed increasing soft tissue density in the right nasal cavity and computed tomography disclosed soft tissue/fluid opacification in the right nasal cavity, paranasal sinus, and pharyinx along with slight deviation to the right of the osseous nasal septum. Focal lysis of ventral nasal septum was also suspected in CT scan. Cytological evaluation of fine needle aspirate smears of the enlarged mandibular lymph nodes revealed numerous fungal yeasts having variably thick capsule both extracellularly and intracellularly with low numbers of macrophages. Some yeasts showed narrow based budding, which was a consistent finding with Cryptococcus organisms. Serum protein electrophoresis was a polyclonal consistent with chronic infection and serum was submitted for a fungal serology panel test. In serologic tests Cryptococcus antigen titer was 1 : 32,768. In vitro culture was unsuccessful. Treatment was initiated with administration of fluconazole, clindamycin, and tocopherol. Clinical signs resolved within 3 days after the initial treatment. The cat was discharged and scheduled for periodic evaluation and continued therapy, but was lost to follow-up thereafter.