First Identification of Autochthonous Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii Isolated from Goats with Predominantly Severe Pulmonary Disease in Spain

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii is associated with Eucalyptus trees growing in various tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The identification of 13 autochthonous strains of C. neoformans var. gattii in Spain is reported. These strains were isolated from lung (10 samples), liver (1 sample), and brain (2 samples) tissue specimens from six goats suffering from predominantly severe pulmonary disease that were autopsied. The animals were members of five different herds of goats grazing in rural areas of the province of Cáceres (Extremadura, Spain). Between 1990 and 1994, there were five outbreaks, in which between 2.5 and 12% of the goats were affected. Although respiratory symptoms (pneumonia) associated with cachexia were the predominant clinical picture in all outbreaks, brain and liver involvement was also documented in three of the five outbreaks. Biotyping was performed by culturing the isolates on l -canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue medium and testing them for the assimilation of d -proline and d -tryptophan. Serotyping by agglutination tests confirmed the characterization of all strains as C. neoformans var. gattii serotype B. This is the first confirmation of the presence of this variety in Spain, with a peculiar ability to produce severe pulmonary and systemic disease in normal goats, particularly in the form of outbreaks of pneumonia in association with cachexia.