A series of 2-(4-nitro-1-imidazolylmethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole, 1,3,4-triazole and 3-(4-nitro-1-imidazolylmethyl)-1,2,4-triazole derivatives were synthesized and tested for their antimicrobial activity. Some of the tested compounds were active against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium difficile, Aspergillus niger and Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcosis by the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans affects mostly immunocompromised individuals and is a frequent neurological complication in AIDS patients. Recent studies support the idea that intracellular survival of Cryptococcus yeast cells is important for the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis. However, the initial steps of Cryptococcus internalization by host cells remain poor...

Cryptococcus species, the etiological agents of cryptococcosis, are encapsulated fungal yeasts that predominantly cause disease in immunocompromised individuals, and are responsible for 15% of AIDS-related deaths worldwide. Exposure follows the inhalation of the yeast into the lung alveoli, making it incumbent upon the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of pulmonary phagocytes to recognize hi...

BACKGROUND Although Cryptococcus laurentii has been considered saprophytic and its taxonomy is still being described, several cases of human infections have already reported. This study aimed to evaluate molecular aspects of C. laurentii isolates from Brazil, Botswana, Canada, and the United States. METHODS In this study, 100 phenotypically identified C. laurentii isolates were evaluated by s...

Seven nonencapsulated mutants of Cryptococcus neoformans were isolated from an encapsulated strain of human origin. Initially, the mutants were avirulent for mice. After several months of subculturing, six of the seven isolates reverted to the encapsulated state and possessed varying degrees of virulence. The results of these experiments suggest that a strong correlation exists between the pres...

Introduction: Disseminated cryptococcosis mainly occurs in patients with impaired cell mediated immunity. Case Presentation: We present a case of disseminated cryptococcosis, in a non-HIV patient with steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis), who was given various immunosuppressive agents. Discussion: BACTEC blood culture, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and chest...

Neonatal infection due to Cryptococcus neoformans is extremely rare. We report a case of a 21-day-old neonate diagnosed with cryptococcal septicemia who was successfully treated with amphotericin B. He was born to a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seronegative mother. This report alerts general pediatricians and neonatologists to consider Cryptococcus neoformans infection as a possible cause...

We described the impact of the capsule size for Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii identification at the species level by Bruker matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). After experimental capsule size modulation, we observed that reducing the capsule size resulted in improved identification by Bruker MALDI-TOF MS across all of th...

Cryptococcus arboriformis (C. arboriformis) is a novel Cryptococcus species belonging to the genus Trichosporonales. This novel species was identified definitively in 2007 using D1/D2 26S ribosomal DNA gene sequencing. In this article, we present a rare case of central line-associated bloodstream infection caused by C. arboriformis with successful treatment of this infection.

Disseminated cryptococcosis mainly occurs in patients with impaired cell mediated immunity. We present a case of disseminated cryptococcosis in a non-HIV patient with nephrotic syndrome who never received immunosuppression. Cultures of bone marrow aspirate, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and histology of skin lesions were all consistent with Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Treatment with ampho...