Cryptococcus (from Ancient Greek κρυπτός (kruptós), meaning "hidden", and κόκκος (kókkos), meaning "grain") is a genus of fungi in the family Cryptococcaceae that includes both yeasts and filamentous species. The filamentous, sexual forms or teleomorphs were formerly classified in the genus Filobasidiella, while Cryptococcus was reserved for the yeasts. Most yeast species formerly referred to Cryptococcus have now been placed in different genera. Some Cryptococcus species cause a disease called cryptococcosis.
Taxonomy
The genus was described by French mycologist Jean Paul Vuillemin in 1901, when he failed to find ascospores characteristic of the genus Saccharomyces in the yeast previously known as Saccharomyces neoformans. It can reproduce sexually with itself throughout its life cycle.
- Cryptococcus amylolentus
- Cryptococcus asgardensis
- Cryptococcus aureus
- Cryptococcus bacillisporus
- Cryptococcus baldrensis
- Cryptococcus cavarae
- Cryptococcus cellulolyticus
- Cryptococcus cereanus
- Cryptococcus consortionis
- Cryptococcus decagattii
- Cryptococcus deneoformans
- Cryptococcus depauperatus
- Cryptococcus deuterogattii
- Cryptococcus elinovii
- Cryptococcus ferigula
- Cryptococcus festucosus
- Cryptococcus floricola
- Cryptococcus gattii
- Cryptococcus hempflingii
- Cryptococcus heveanensis
- Cryptococcus himalayensis
- Cryptococcus hominis
- Cryptococcus lactativorus
- Cryptococcus longus
- Cryptococcus lupi
- Cryptococcus luteus
- Cryptococcus montanae
- Cryptococcus musci
- Cryptococcus mycelialis
- Cryptococcus neoformans
- Cryptococcus nyarrowii
- Cryptococcus pseudolongus
- Cryptococcus ramirezgomezianus
- Cryptococcus saitoi
- Cryptococcus socialis
- Cryptococcus tetragattii
- Cryptococcus tyrolensis
- Cryptococcus uniguttulatus
- Cryptococcus watticus
- Cryptococcus wingfieldii
- Cryptococcus wrightensis
Epidemiology
Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are fungal organisms found worldwide. Notably, the sub-Saharan African region has the highest burden of disease. Individuals within the region often become significantly ill, often resulting in death. Cryptococcal meningitis is also known to target patients with HIV/AIDS disease.