Spread of Cryptococcus gattii into Pacific Northwest Region of the United States

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Datta, Kausik ; Bartlett, Karen H. ; Baer, Rebecca ; Byrnes, Edmond ; Galanis, Eleni ; Heitman, Joseph ; Hoang, Linda ; Leslie, Mira J. ; MacDougall, Laura ; Magill, Shelley S. ; Morshed, Muhammad G. ; Marr, Kieren A.
• Corporate Authors:
  for the Cryptococcus gattii Working Group of the Pacific Northwest
• Description:
  Cryptococcus gattii has emerged as a human and animal pathogen in the Pacific Northwest. First recognized on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, it now involves mainland British Columbia, and Washington and Oregon in the United States. In Canada, the incidence of disease has been one of the highest worldwide. In the United States, lack of cryptococcal species identification and case surveillance limit our knowledge of C. gattii epidemiology. Infections in the Pacific Northwest are caused by multiple genotypes, but the major strain is genetically novel and may have emerged recently in association with unique mating or environmental changes. C. gattii disease affects immunocompromised and immunocompetent persons, causing substantial illness and death. Successful management requires an aggressive medical and surgical approach and consideration of potentially variable antifungal drug susceptibilities. We summarize the study results of a group of investigators and review current knowledge with the goal of increasing awareness and highlighting areas where further knowledge is required.
• Subjects:
  Animals Communicable Diseases, Emerging Cryptococcosis Cryptococcus Neoformans Disease Outbreaks Ecosystem Environmental Microbiology Humans Population Surveillance Public Health Synopsis

  More +
• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 15(8):1185-1191.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  British Columbia, Canada ; Northwestern United States
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  15
• Issue:
  8
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:a90e20e01245764201221cf25a3e9a1976953b2b5c62d79aa2ec6d26f3ddb614
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/17465/cdc_17465_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 585.89 KB ]