ENVIRONMENTAL ISOLATION OF Cryptococcus Neoformans IN JOS (original) (raw)

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes cryptococcosis, a life-threatening infection that is usually manifested as menigeoencephalitis mainly in immunocompromised patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans from four environmental sources; water, soil poultry droppings and pigeon guano in Jos, plateau state, Nigeria. Two hundred samples, fifty samples each of water, soil, poultry droppings and pigeon guano were collected from five different settlements in Jos. Each sample was suspended 1:10 in saline solution and then cultured in Sabouraud's dextrose agar medium including chloramphenicol. Identification of C. neoformans was performed on the basis of melanin synthesis on bird seed agar, presence of a capsule on India ink preparation, urease production on urea agar medium, and ability to grow at 37 °C. An assimilation test was also used to confirm C. neoformans. Of the 200 samples, 17(8.5%) were positive for C. neoformans. The highest frequency was observed in pigeon guano 8(16.0%) followed by soil 6(12.0%) and poultry droppings 3(6.0%) no isolate was made from water. The study showed the presence of C. neoformans in environmental sources especially in domestic birds.

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