Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII as agent of meningitis in a healthy child in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: report of an autochthonous case

Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII as agent of meningitis in a healthy child in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: report of an autochthonous case

Cryptococcus gattii causes meningoencephalitis in immunocompetent hosts, occurring endemically in some tropical and subtropical regions. Recently, this fungus was involved in an outbreak in Vancouver Island and British Columbia (Canada). In this temperate region, the VGII type is predominant. The paper describes an autochthonous case of meningoencephalitis by C. gattii VGII in a previously health child in Rio de Janeiro, considered nonendemic region of Brazil. The fungus was identified by biochemical tests and the molecular type was determined by URA5-RFLP. The present report highlights the need for clinical vigilance for primary cryptococcal meningitis in nonendemic areas.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pinto Junior,Vitor Laerte, Pone,Marcos Vinicius da Silva, Pone,Sheila Moura, Campos,João Maurício Scarpellini, Garrido,José Roberto Pereira, Barros,Ana Cláudia Mamede Wiering de, Trilles,Luciana, Barbosa,Gláucia Gonçalves, Morales,Bernardina Penarrieta, Bezerra,Cláudia de Carvalho Falci, Lazéra,Márcia dos Santos
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT 2010
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822010000600032
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Summary:Cryptococcus gattii causes meningoencephalitis in immunocompetent hosts, occurring endemically in some tropical and subtropical regions. Recently, this fungus was involved in an outbreak in Vancouver Island and British Columbia (Canada). In this temperate region, the VGII type is predominant. The paper describes an autochthonous case of meningoencephalitis by C. gattii VGII in a previously health child in Rio de Janeiro, considered nonendemic region of Brazil. The fungus was identified by biochemical tests and the molecular type was determined by URA5-RFLP. The present report highlights the need for clinical vigilance for primary cryptococcal meningitis in nonendemic areas.

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