Cryptococcus spp. in excreta of Columba livia (domestic pigeons) from a university hospital in southern Brazil

Abstract

Cryptococcosis is primarily a pulmonary mycosis, being acquired by inhalation of infective fungal propagules found in the environment. One of the main etiological agents of cryptococcosis is the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans , which has worldwide distribution and whose naturalhabitat is the feces of birds. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Cryptococcus spp. in excreta ofColumba livia (domestic pigeon) found in the outer area of the building of Hospital Universitário Dr. Miguel Riet Correa Junior, a reference center for the treatment of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. During a period of ten months, a total of 40 samples of dried excreta was collected from the site's academic area and hospital. To the excreta, were added saline solution with chloramphenicol, homogenized in a vortex, cultivated in Niger seed agar and incubated at 25°C with daily observations up to seven days. The identification of the microorganism was performed by phenotypical and biochemical tests. From the 40 samples processed and analyzed, 13 (32.5%) were positive for the isolation ofCryptococcus spp., with the quantity of yeasts ranging from 20.000 to 3.000.000 CFU/g of feces. Isolation of the opportunistic fungusCryptococcus spp. at a university hospital is relevant in public health for demonstrating the exposure of individuals who frequent this site to infectant propagules.